Down On The Farm

Inspection of Down On The Farm Norton Brook Farm, Grafton, HEREFORD HR2 8ED

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

The nursery is located on a working farm, providing children with rich opportunities to explore the natural world and take part in daily farm life. Children arrive happy and eager to begin their play. They develop secure relationships with the caring and attentive staff team, which knows them and their families well. Staff support children to learn familiar routines to help them feel safe and confident. Children behave well and understand what is expected of them, such as using good manners and helping tidy away toys before mealtimes. Staff use kind and gentle words to help children move calmly between activities. They support children to manage their feelings, such as offering a cuddle when a child feels frustrated.

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The provision is good

All children make good progress. Staff deliver an ambitious curriculum that builds on what they already know and can do. They plan activities around children's interests and next steps in learning. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise outside in the nursery gardens and surrounding farm environment. Babies develop their core strength in readiness for crawling and walking. Staff sit alongside them to support their play. They encourage babies to stand at a low-level tray to explore different textures, such as soil. This helps them to build physical strength, balance and curiosity.

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need to do better?

n The leadership and management of the nursery is strong. Leaders have defined roles and responsibilities and work closely with staff to ensure the smooth running of the nursery. They are committed to providing high-quality care and education, with children's well-being and development at the heart of everything they do. Leaders reflect regularly on practice and work with the staff team to drive continuous improvements, leading to positive outcomes for all children. n Staff gather a range of information from parents about children's care needs and development when they first begin to attend. This enables them to plan effectively for children's learning from the outset. However, as the nursery now operates on a term-time-only basis, staff do not routinely gather up-to-date information from parents at the start of each new term. This means they are sometimes unaware of children's progress or new interests that have developed

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need to do better?

during the break, which hinders how precisely they plan for children's current learning needs when they return. n Staff plan daily activities, such as circle time, to support children's understanding of the days of the week, numbers and counting. However, they do not always make sure that the activity meets children's individual needs or adapt their interactions to meet the developmental stage of younger children, who sometimes lose interest and disengage. n The key-person system supports children's well-being and development

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need to do better?

19 September 2025 effectively. Children build secure and trusting relationships with familiar adults, who have a good understanding of their needs and encourage them to join in with new experiences. Strong partnerships with parents ensure a consistent approach to care and learning. Key persons speak to parents at drop-off and collection times to keep them updated about children's achievements and care needs. They work closely with parents to support children's ongoing development, such as helping with potty training or language skills. n Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the caring staff team. They value staff's open and regular communication and appreciate the warm relationships staff have with children. n Staff create a language-rich environment that supports children's early communication and literacy skills. They read stories using expressive voices to keep children engaged and develop a love of books. Babies enjoy daily walks

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need to do better?

around the adjoining farm, where they hear sounds such as farm machinery and baby chicks chirping. This helps to develop their early listening and attention skills. Children join in with familiar songs and rhymes, building their vocabulary and confidence. Staff pause during activities to let children finish rhymes or repeat key words, encouraging them to speak and express themselves. n Staff support children's good health. They gently attend to their personal care and maintain consistent hygiene routines throughout the day. Staff kindly remind children to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day. Young children sleep peacefully and comfortably because staff follow familiar routines from home. Staff use safe sleeping principles and regularly check on sleeping children to ensure their safety and well-being.

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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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should:

n enhance partnerships with parents to regularly gather up-to-date information about children's interests and development, and use this to better inform planning to help children make even better progress n strengthen the planning and delivery of group activities to ensure that they are developmentally appropriate and effectively meet the needs of all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY348665 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 10398911 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 17 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Polly Margaret Tinnion

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reference number

Telephone number 01432 277444 Date of previous inspection 14 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Down On The Farm nursery registered in 2007. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am to 4.30pm. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold an appropriate early years qualification at level four and five hold a qualification at level 3. The nursery offers funded early education for children between the ages of nine months and four years.

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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 children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Staff 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 is having on the children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

19 September 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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