Sycamore House Day Nursery

School

Unique reference number (URN): EY460413 Address: 36 Hadham Road, BISHOP'S STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 2QS Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 13/05/2013 Registers: EYR Registered person: Sycamore House Day Nursery Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff and leaders know children well. Children feel safe and secure. They arrive happy and seek out their key worker ready to start their day. Staff use their detailed knowledge of each child to support them to recognise, express and manage their emotions and to develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. As children transition across the setting, time is taken for settling in, moving only once children are truly settled with their new key worker and room.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that important information is gathered when a child first starts. Staff know key information about children's health and dietary needs, and practices are effective to help keep them safe. Staff supervise all children closely while they eat. They understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to the safe preparation of food and the stages of weaning for babies. Staff support children to develop an understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. Staff talk with the children at lunchtime about the nutritious meals, which are created on site. They encourage children to try different fruits and vegetables, discussing the positive impact they have on their bodies.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff working with the youngest babies and nonverbal children are responsive to their needs. Signing is used to support communication, which enables children to have a voice. All children are able to make choices about their day and this supports children's wellbeing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children arrive eager to start their day and settle quickly into their learning. They remain engaged in activities for prolonged periods and contribute confidently, sharing their thoughts and ideas. All children develop as curious and motivated learners. Children with barriers to their learning make expected progress in all areas of their learning and development.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children make secure progress in their communication and language. For the youngest children, signing is used to support their understanding and develop their ability to communicate from a young age. Older children develop a love of books and stories as staff use puppets to retell known stories. Children enjoy asking questions and use knowledge learned in other activities to talk about the different Arctic animals in the story. Children enjoy following instructions when playing with the parachute. They develop their mathematical knowledge as they talk about moving the parachute high and low and counting as they crouch on the floor ready to jump up. Babies develop their physical skills as they negotiate ramps, steps and the slide in their room. Teaching is however inconsistent at times, which means children do not always have access to high-quality learning opportunities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff build warm, positive relationships with children. They set clear expectations for children's behaviour and manage routines consistently. Staff adapt their language to meet the development needs of the children, for example using signs to let babies know that their nappy is going to be changed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff offer lots of praise and reassurance, which helps to build children's self-esteem. Children feel safe and secure to explore and engage in learning. They happily join in with activities, showing increasing independence and willingness to have a go and explore. They share their achievements, ask questions and show an interest in each other's ideas. Children are able to make choices about where they would like to play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff monitor children's attendance carefully. They work in close partnership with parents and carers to ensure children's regular attendance. This helps to support children's early education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the last inspection leaders have adapted the setting's curriculum to focus on the individual learning needs of all children. Adaptations to the way activities are planned are positive and this has supported progress in learning for all children. Leaders have reflected that there is progress to be made to ensure consistency across the whole staff team. Leaders are aware that the garden space needs developing. They are working to ensure this reflects the setting's curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff are clear on what they want children to know, and they sequence learning well across the setting. Children's language is supported from a young age as staff use signs to support understanding of the setting's routine. This continues as the children move through the setting as staff encourage them to use spoken word alongside. Activities are planned with purpose, based on children's interests and what children need to learn next. Staff have secure knowledge of all children's next steps and adapt activities accordingly to support children's knowledge and learning. Staff repeat activities to ensure learning is embedded. Children have access to a broad curriculum, which is well differentiated for all children. Children proudly show adults things they have created. They develop their mathematics knowledge as they talk about how they make patterns with different shapes in the pre- school room. Staff working with babies ensure that planned experiences are appropriate.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

For instance, to support their physical development they place lids on baskets to allow children to post toys. This strengthens their hand–eye coordination.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders implement effective systems to identify disadvantaged and vulnerable children who may require help to reduce barriers to, and close gaps in, their learning. The swift action taken ensures that all children continue to make progress in their learning and development. Leaders work closely with other professionals to create common plans, which consistently meet children's needs at both home and the setting. For example, targets set by specialist teachers are used to plan activities at the setting to build on the required learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders deliver regular training and updates to staff to improve aspects of their practice. The setting's special educational needs designated leaders works closely with all staff to offer mentoring and build on their knowledge. Monitoring arrangements are in place to ensure that assessments of children's current stage of development are accurate. Leaders ensure that the progress check for 2-year-old children is completed in partnership with parents. They highlight areas where additional support may be required. Leaders are proactive in using additional funding well. This includes creating ramps to allow non-mobile children to move freely around rooms and the garden area. However, the outdoor environment is not yet fully developed to ensure that children who prefer to play and learn outside can consistently access an equally ambitious curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard since the last inspection to build on the setting's curriculum and ensure that the deployment of staff meets the needs of the children at the setting. Leaders have a clear plan in place to continue strengthening staff practice and have established mentoring programmes. Leaders have worked closely with external agencies, such as the local authority, to make improvements to the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders now have a good oversight of the setting. Effective communication strategies have been implemented to share information with staff, encouraging them to be part of the setting's improvement journey. This is evident from the conversations with the staff and from their positive attitude to supervision sessions and wellbeing. Training opportunities are specific and tailored to embed knowledge with staff and build on the gaps in their learning and practice. This strengthens the interactions between staff and children. Leaders proudly share the setting's strengths and talk of the effective work the setting does for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parents have overwhelming praise for the changes at the setting since the last inspection. They comment on the effective communication they receive and the relationships children build with their key workers. However, leaders recognise that there is further work to do to fully embed curriculum

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

changes and ensure consistently high-quality teaching across all areas of the setting.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are greeted by friendly staff on arrival and settle well. They benefit from a calm, welcoming and nurturing environment, which promotes their wellbeing and welfare. Children demonstrate secure attachments with all staff. Children are confident and curious in their learning environment. A well-embedded key-worker system is in place, with information shared between staff members to ensure consistency for all children. Children seek out familiar adults when they need assurance and welcome staff into their play. For example, young babies navigate closer to familiar adults when visitors enter the room. Staff's knowledge of the children ensures they are alert to any attendance concerns. Children's welfare and wellbeing are routinely checked.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Before children start at the setting, staff gather a wealth of information to support the process. An individualised approach allows key workers to work closely with families to meet their needs during this time. The setting understands that this can be difficult for some families and adapts its approach to suit. For example, the youngest babies have extended settling-in sessions to cover all aspects of their routines, such as sleeping and feeding. This builds the relationships even further.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff and leaders have a good understanding of the backgrounds of the children who attend. This has led to a focus on children's personal, social and emotional development within the curriculum. Children work together to complete tasks and show genuine concern when their friends are upset. All children demonstrate focus in their listening and attention for significant periods of time for their age. This is key in preparation for their next stage of learning. Robust processes are in place to look for gaps in children's learning and development, and staff understand that children develop at different rates. Where gaps are identified, swift action is taken to create plans to reduce the gaps.

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Next steps

Leaders should make better use of the outdoor environment to support the progress of children who prefer to play and learn outside. Leaders should continue to embed curriculum changes and ensure high-quality teaching across all areas of the setting.

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Address:

36 Hadham Road BISHOP'S STORTFORD Hertfordshire CM23 2QS

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Sycamore House Day Nursery Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents, children and a special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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