Yarnton Way Nursery

Inspection of Yarnton Way Nursery Harris Garrard Academy Grounds, Yarnton Way, Erith, Bexley DA18 4DW

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children happily enter the nursery. They run up the path and greet staff waiting at the door with a big hug. Staff welcome children by name and check with parents and carers how they have been since their last session. Despite some children's eagerness, staff do not effectively implement the ambitious curriculum developed for the nursery, both indoors and out, that helps children to extend their skills and build positive attitudes to their learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children have developed positive and strong attachments to staff. Babies seek staff out for cuddles and delight in exploring play opportunities alongside them, smiling and laughing as they splash in a small tray of ice and water. Staff provide lots of praise to children when they choose to join in and try activities with their peers.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff encourage children to be independent and develop their self-care skills. Babies are encouraged to use their forks as they feed themselves at lunchtime. Older children serve their own meals and scrape their plates once finished. All children are encouraged to wash their own hands and faces once they have finished eating. Children show pride in these tasks, holding up their flannel once they have finished, saying, 'I did it.'

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The provision requires improvement

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Staff work closely with parents, the local authority and other agencies involved in children's care to ensure children receive the targeted support needed.

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need to do better?

n While leaders have a broad and ambitious vision in place for their curriculum, this is not fully communicated with all staff. Next steps are too generalised, and not all staff have a clear idea of what it is they would like their key children to learn next. Staff do not always know children well enough, for example, knowing their home language, to be able to develop confidence in their learning. n Children enjoy spending time outside and developing some of their physical skills. The available equipment offers opportunities for children to climb, balance and ride on bicycles and scooters. However, the planning and organisation of the largest of the outside spaces does not always support children's access to use the equipment fully. This limits their ability to develop and consolidate their physical skills. This is because in places the area is overgrown with long grass, and equipment, such as bicycles and scooters, is left scattered across the

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need to do better?

ground. n Children understand the routine of the day, and this helps them to feel settled and secure. However, sometimes, staff do not follow the routine. For example, at a time when nappies should only be checked, and changed if necessary, some

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need to do better?

25 June 2025 staff change all the children's nappies. This means that children are taken away from play, exploration, creative activities and imaginative play, interrupting their concentration and flow of learning. n The curriculum for communication and language is well structured. Staff use established programmes to identify where children may need further support. Children hear lots of language throughout the day, through stories, songs and narrative of play. Babies show their blossoming language skills as they point at posters on the wall of their favourite nursery rhymes, saying 'baa baa'. Older children use their widening vocabularies to share ideas and talk about past events. n Staff promote healthy lifestyles to children. Children enjoy a variety of fresh fruit at snack times, from papaya to watermelon, to encourage children to try a variety of textures and flavours. Healthy balanced meals, such as a roast chicken

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need to do better?

dinner, are enjoyed by children. Staff eat with children and discuss with them what they are having and the benefit healthy eating has on their bodies. n The behaviour of children is good. Children understand the rules and boundaries of the nursery, such as having 'walking feet' and using 'kind hands'. Children develop positive relationships with their peers. Younger babies play alongside each other, enjoying sharing the same space. Older children work collaboratively together. They understand the need to share, portioning out the dough so everyone around the table has some. n When children engage in the activities provided, they enjoy themselves. However, at different times during the day, children wander around the nursery rooms and the garden without purpose. Staff do not approach the children to support them to engage in play, with the result that children's learning is not being promoted or extended.

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need to do better?

n Staff are effective in communicating with parents. There are opportunities for verbal discussions at the beginning and end of each day. Parents find the app used by the nursery informative, and they are invited in each term to discuss the progress children are making. n Managers at the nursery are reflective. They understand some of the training needs of staff and are working to embed good practice throughout. All staff have regular supervision sessions and access to online and face-to-face training to support them in their roles. However, leaders and managers do not accurately identify all learning needs that staff may have, which leads to weaknesses, such as the inconsistent implementation of the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

ensure staff implement the curriculum effectively to address the individual learning needs of all children. 31/10/2025

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should:

n improve the garden area to allow for further opportunities to promote all children's physical development n develop staff's understanding of evaluating and providing flexibility to the routines of the day to meet the individual needs of all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY384110 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10409755 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 84 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance

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reference number

Telephone number 020 8320 7872 Date of previous inspection 23 June 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Yarnton Way Nursery registered in 2008. It operates from Harris Garrard Academy grounds, in Erith, Kent. The nursery is owned by the Pre-School Learning Alliance. It is open all year round, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. The nursery offers the government-funded places for childcare. The nursery employs 20 members of staff, 17 of whom hold relevant early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during snack time. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of

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Inspection activities

their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

25 June 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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