Laurel Farm Steiner Kindergarten

Laurel Farm Steiner Kindergarten

Unique reference number (URN): 2785909 Address: 17 Carlingcott, Peasedown St. John, BATH, BA2 8AN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/03/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Laurel Farm Steiner Kindergarten

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive in the happy and harmonious environment. Leaders promote high expectations of behaviour and implement these consistently, suiting the ages and abilities of all children. This means children know what is expected of them, helping them consistently follow routines excellently. For children who face barriers to their learning, leaders work hard to establish and adapt routines that gradually support children's transitions. Leaders use calm voices to sing a countdown song during each transition, such as tidy-up time. This results in seamless transitions as children move through their day with ease. Leaders highlight the importance of attendance and punctuality to help families develop positive habits for the future.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders place great emphasis on helping children gain skills such as resilience and problem-solving. As a result, children manage small conflicts that arise without guidance. For example, children become a little frustrated when someone sits on their wooden log during 'ring time'. They discuss that there is another log and move across. Children confidently ask for their turn to mix water into the 'meteor dust' they have been creating and wait patiently. They respond, 'Yes, here you go.' They show consistent collaboration with each other, and leaders encourage this. Children are kind to one another, demonstrating empathy for how others feel. For instance, they ask, 'Are you okay?' when their peers lose their balance and nearly fall. Leaders and children are all positive role models for one another. This has a positive impact on how children treat each other, the environment and resources.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders know children and families extremely well. Children's emotional health is developed through the loving and purposeful bonds leaders create with children from the start. Home visits and flexible settling-in times ensure children build these relationships slowly. This helps leaders gain a secure understanding of how to meet children's specific care routines, including allergies or emerging intolerances.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop their awareness of personal safety superbly. They independently ask for safety goggles when creating 'meteor dust' and confidently pick their home-grown parsley to eat. Older children explain that this is safe for them to eat, and they are allowed one handful. This supports children in beginning to manage risk independently, gaining important skills for their future. Children talk about healthy choices, and leaders ensure they monitor lunch boxes to keep them in line with nutritional guidance. These expectations are shared with parents and carers to provide support and continuity between home and the setting. Leaders help children begin to understand the effects of healthy foods on our bodies, describing how our bodies will feel 'happy and warm inside' from nutritious food. Children demonstrate independence in self-care skills such as dressing, toileting and using cutlery during mealtimes. Leaders manage personal care in a way that respects children's privacy.

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Expected standard

Children have daily opportunities for fresh air within the large grounds in which they are situated, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders implement highly effective ways to assess and closely track children's development. They use this information well to identify any emerging gaps in children's learning. Leaders have high aspirations for all children and adapt routines and learning experiences to meet the needs of each child. For example, they provide home visits to gain a more holistic overview of the children and families and implement plans to support children who may struggle with their transition into the setting. This swiftly reduces barriers to children's learning and ensures that all children have access to an inclusive learning environment. Leaders work collaboratively with parents and carers to share these targeted plans, providing continuity for children's learning and development. This well-sequenced approach to meeting children's individual needs ensures that all children make steady progress throughout their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Although there are currently no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders demonstrate a wealth of knowledge on how they would support children and families. Leaders share their knowledge from recent training in weekly meetings, helping to provide consistent approaches and support for children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders use additional funding to provide specialist speech and language support for children. This is highly impactful and quickly closes gaps in children's learning. Furthermore, they use funding to ensure all children can access and experience various events, such as theatre shows.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress across the curriculum from their starting points. This means that children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. Younger children refine their hand strength and coordination as they carefully chop vegetables. Older children demonstrate confidence and control when hammering small nails into wood, focusing on creating their boat. Children develop a keen interest in books. They enjoy stories and listen intently; others access books independently, calmly turning the pages and taking time to look at the pictures.

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Achievement Expected standard

Younger children show independence in their self-care skills, such as toileting, and proudly recognise their names on their flannels as they walk past them. Children explore their creativity as they enjoy making patterns, including swirls and twirls. Younger children use vocabulary such as, 'Stones are not edible,' as they enjoy discussions during snack time. Children develop excellent communication skills. Throughout daily routines, such as lining up, staff encourage children to count and talk about size and weight. This helps children build well on their early mathematical skills. Leaders recognise that deeper evaluation of the curriculum will help raise the quality of children's learning even further.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that offers children a wide range of meaningful and real-life experiences, through their engagement of the natural world. Knowledgeable, dedicated and experienced leaders deliver the well-sequenced curriculum through high- quality interactions and, overall, provide opportunities that reflect children's individual next steps in learning. They use their effective assessment procedures to ensure learning opportunities are age-appropriate, varied, exciting and consistent. For example, each day includes a focus on baking, planting or seasonal crafts. Leaders create a balance of adult- guided learning and moments where children can confidently lead their own learning. Children demonstrate fundamental skills that are embedded, such as independence, resilience and perseverance. However, there is less consistency around the opportunities provided for older children, to further build on their skills and learning. As a result, older

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

children do not reach their full learning capabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders help children to gain excellent communication skills. This is a clear strength of the setting. They use more complex vocabulary and spend a wealth of time having discussions with children about their interests. For example, children have back-and-forth conversations about the boat they would like to build. Leaders skilfully ask questions that prompt children's thinking and creativity as they describe how they want to build it. They naturally weave in aspects of mathematical language, such as weight when talking about the heaviness of the sail.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders place priority on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. They help children to build on their social skills through their communication within small groups. For instance, they support younger children to ask what others are doing as they approach a group. This helps children to develop secure foundations that will support their future learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Dedicated and passionate leaders ensure wellbeing in the setting is a priority. Regular supervisions and weekly meetings provide opportunities to keep the team up to date with relevant changes to guidance, including safer sleeping. Leaders are motivated to deepen and develop their knowledge and skills. For example, recent special educational needs and/or disabilities training has helped to further raise leaders' confidence in supporting children who may need additional support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders typically demonstrate a clear overview of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They use self-evaluation well to reflect on the environment. For example, leaders would like to enhance the outside space to further develop children's larger physical skills, enhancing their arm and core strength. Leaders make decisions based on the best interests of the children and families. Leaders gain feedback from parents and carers through questionnaires and daily interactions. However, leaders' current reflections of the curriculum are not yet refined enough. This means, at times, continuous, high-quality teaching and learning are not yet embedded. Parent and community partnerships are a strength of the setting. These key relationships help to form a positive and collaborative approach in supporting children. Parents highly praise the 'wonderful leaders', reporting they always provide a nurturing and supportive

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

environment for children. Parents have noticed progress in their children's learning, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development. Leaders appoint a parent rep to share the views of parents and to help organise community events such as picnics. Leaders have recently strengthened their links with local schools, further supporting children's transitions in the future.

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

Children arrive and immediately immerse themselves in the calm and welcoming environment. This demonstrates their confidence and positive attitudes towards their learning. They greet their peers excitedly and eagerly chat to leaders about their morning so far. Younger children enjoy digging in the sand as they make volcanoes, and older children laugh with their peers on the see-saw. Children demonstrate keen focus and concentration as they grind stones to make 'meteor dust', using a mortar and pestle. Younger children eagerly watch and explain that meteors fall from the sky. Children share their knowledge with each other and develop their emerging understanding of the wider world. Older children act as positive role models for younger children. Children have access to an inclusive and enriching curriculum that helps them to achieve well from their starting points. This means children are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including those who face barriers

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Address:

17 Carlingcott Peasedown St. John Children build secure, nurturing and trusting relationships with leaders and their peers. Younger children seek reassurance when needed, and leaders swiftly offer this. Children develop a sense of belonging, feel safe and build on their emotional security. Leaders have a deep understanding of children and their families, fostering a real sense of community. Families are welcomed into the setting, and leaders work closely to ensure that children attend regularly and on time, improving future life outcomes. This supports a calm, respectful and harmonious environment for children.

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Address:

Children develop excellent independence through clear and consistent daily routines. They understand what is expected of them. Children wash their hands, line up safely and help to tidy things away. Older children relish the responsibility of small tasks such as helping others and preparing for mealtimes. This supports their self-esteem and confidence.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure they provide older children with further opportunities to continuously build on what they know and can do. Leaders should continue to reflect on the curriculum to ensure they precisely identify ways to further raise the quality of teaching and practice.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders and children during the inspection. Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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. BATH BA2 8AN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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About this inspection

Registered person: Laurel Farm Steiner Kindergarten

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00

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About this inspection

Local authority: Bath and North East Somerset Council

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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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