Enchanted Day Nursery

Enchanted Day Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): EY544663 Address: Lindhill House, Knap Close, LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY, Hertfordshire, SG6 1AQ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 20/09/2017 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Enchanted 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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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop a sense of security and belonging in the nursery. This means they typically feel confident to make the most of the learning experiences available and achieve well. Older children learn to listen carefully to instructions and show focus and engagement in appropriate age and stage of development, adult-led activities. Younger children enjoy joining in the active singing sessions with staff and each other.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning, are prepared for their next stage of learning. Children's transitions from room to room are generally managed well and typically consider their individual needs, for example sometimes key persons will move with children. The transfer between the two baby rooms is well thought out as children and staff mix regularly in outdoor sessions. Preparation for the transfer to schools is started gently and early, so children become accustomed to routines, such as whole-class circle time and small-group sessions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff have established a positive environment where children feel safe to explore and play. They role model kind behaviour to each other and to children. This means that children treat each other with respect. Leaders and staff have high expectations of children and embedded rules for all. Children benefit from the consistency of the rules throughout the nursery. For example, all children know that they should use their 'walking feet' inside and 'kind hands' all the time. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning receive support to behave well. For instance, they keep resources with them, which help them to stay calm.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children learn to recognise their own emotions. For example, when drawing pictures of themselves, they talk about what looks happy and what looks sad. Children learn to manage their emotions and to ask for help when they need it. Babies have opportunities to look at books of their families to build their sense of belonging and to self-soothe.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have positive attitudes to learning and can focus on the task in hand. For example, children are engrossed in pouring water down ramps. However, on occasions when staff are busy with everyday tasks, they do not use opportunities to engage with children who may need support. Leaders promote the importance of attendance to parents and carers. They are flexible and supportive in their approaches.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have created a safe and welcoming nursery. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers to learning, enjoy their play and are happy for most of their day. Staff are very nurturing, and children feel secure in their care. Key persons know their children well, including those with SEND. They typically build secure and warm relationships with children. Leaders know children and their family circumstances very well. They allocate the same key persons to younger siblings where possible to strengthen these relationships.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

All children have frequent opportunities throughout the day to enjoy outdoor learning. They learn how to keep safe outdoors, for example putting on sun cream. Children learn about the importance of exercise and rest, recognising when they need to sleep. There are secure hygiene practices in place. For example, older children recognise why they need to wash their hands after handling chicks. They sing a song to make sure they clean them for long enough. Staff provide children with a healthy diet. Children enjoy the social aspect of sitting with their friends for snacks and lunch. There are procedures in place to ensure that children with allergies are safe. Staff sit with children during mealtimes to support children with safe eating. They are alert to the possibilities of choking.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum has been designed specifically for the nursery by leaders and is thoughtful and inclusive. Leaders have ambitious goals for children and have a secure understanding of what they want children to learn. The curriculum covers all areas of learning and is well sequenced through the rooms. It aims for children to enjoy their learning and to be fully prepared for school by the time they leave the nursery. Leaders do this through building positive relationships between all, including children, parents and carers and staff. The curriculum focuses on developing children's independence in self-care and choices, exploring using their senses, widening their experiences and through developing communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff generally teach the curriculum well, including for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning. For example, staff engage babies with books, encouraging them to feel the textures, while introducing the word 'soft'. They introduce older children to initial sounds in words in an engaging and interactive way. However, on occasions, staff do not fully engage with children to support learning. For example, children stand waiting quietly while staff clear tables. This does not extend their communication skills. Children are typically independent. For example, babies learn to feed themselves while older children use knives and forks.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children have lots of opportunities to develop their large-physical skills. Babies use furniture and small climbing frames to pull themselves up to standing, while older children learn to ride balance bicycles.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers to learning are quickly identified. Key persons gather information during children's settling-in sessions and establish what children can do. This is measured against their age and stage of development, so staff are alert to any gaps in learning. After observations and monitoring, key persons involve leaders if necessary. They work collaboratively with other staff in establishing adaptations and setting targets to ensure that children with SEND or other barriers to learning can fully access the curriculum and learn and play alongside their peers. For example, children use a now and next board or have access to the sensory room when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff have high expectations of children with SEND. However, on occasions, children become disengaged as staff are not consistently available to fully support their individual needs. For example, they sometimes overlook children who need support to engage with activities during busy periods. Staff share targets and ideas with parents and carers to ensure continuity of care.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff work closely with parents and other agencies if necessary to ensure the best outcomes for children. The spending of extra funding has a positive impact on disadvantaged children. For example, staff provide resources to support children during transitions and in the sensory room. This enhances children's experiences in the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a sound knowledge of the context of the nursery. The nursery catchment area covers 3 different authorities with differing ways of working. Leaders are sensitive to this and know which children are in which authority. Leaders understand their strengths and areas for development. For example, they are currently working on building a cohesive staff team to ensure that standards are consistent across the nursery. They are highly ambitious and passionate to drive forward changes for improvement. Leaders have a clear vision and are on the journey to creating this. They seek professional guidance where necessary and work closely with outside agencies, such as the local authority early years advisory team and the inclusion officers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders monitor staff's performance regularly and provide appropriate professional feedback and further development where necessary. They monitor the impact of this professional development. Where it has been high, they ensure that all staff have access to the same training, providing better outcomes for all children. Staff's wellbeing is a priority, and staff appreciate the open-door policy and feel valued and fully supported in their wellbeing. While staff generally make a positive contribution to improving children's learning, this is not consistent. Leaders sometimes do not recognise when staff are overstretched and finding it difficult to fully engage all children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The leadership team fully engages with parents and carers. It is supportive to parents who need help, such as they have a clothes swap shop. Leaders communicate well with parents, who speak highly of the nursery as they see their children happy and making progress. They feel fully supported when children move rooms or to other settings or school.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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

Children thoroughly enjoy attending this warm and welcoming nursery. They form close bonds with the kind and caring staff, who know the children they care for well. Children are settled and happy, and they clearly feel safe. Even the very youngest children settle quickly and happily in the calm and nurturing environment. Babies welcome close contact and interaction with staff. For example, they reach out their arms to their key persons when they need a cuddle. This helps them to develop the confidence to explore and engage with the stimulating activities available to them. For example, babies enjoy the sensory experience of sand in their hands.

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

Children benefit from meaningful learning experiences as staff use their knowledge of the children to plan activities best suited to them. For example, older children explore photos of school uniforms in preparation for school. All children receive support to ensure that they make effective progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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

Children behave very well. They follow the positive example by staff and show kindness and respect. For example, children are gentle and thoughtful when handling chicks. They play well together, share resources and take turns. For instance, when children play in the mud kitchen, they pass around bowls of food to each other. Other children wait patiently for their turn to climb up to the slide. Children generally develop their independence skills well. At lunchtime, younger children use open cups, and older children use metal knives and forks.

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

Families feel welcomed in the setting, and staff ensure that they are fully updated on their child's progress. Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance to parents. They have secure procedures in place for following up non-attendance.

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Next steps

Leaders should further consider the deployment of staff to ensure that they make the most of every learning opportunity for children. Leaders should support all staff in their understanding of fully engaging children to enable them to make the progress of which they are capable of in their communication and language skills. Leaders should continue to embed staff's practice and offer individual and targeted professional development where necessary to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the manager, the deputy manager, the special educational needs coordinator, room leaders, staff and parents and carers 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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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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Address:

Lindhill House Knap Close LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY Hertfordshire SG6 1AQ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Enchanted Day Nursery Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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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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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

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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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