Village Nurseries Ltd

Village Nurseries Ltd

Unique reference number (URN): EY404326 Address: Red Hill, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 6DA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 04/01/2010 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Village Nurseries Limited

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Strong standard

Children, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress from their starting points. They benefit from an emphasis on developing their understanding and love of language through daily exposure to nursery rhymes, songs and stories. This contributes to children developing a deep love of books. For instance, children confidently recall their favourite stories. They are beginning to identify the sounds in their names and link them to familiar songs. This helps children to remember what they have learned. Children speak fluently and articulate their ideas clearly when interacting with others. They demonstrate high levels of focus and concentration and show pride in their achievements, eagerly sharing their work with staff.

p.2

Achievement Strong standard

Children confidently select activities that interest them and play extremely well with their peers. For example, they enjoy playing at the water tray, where they share resources and take turns. Children use early mathematical language to compare size and count items. For instance, children understand that a five-year-old child is older than a four-year-old child. Children demonstrate high levels of focus, concentration and independence. They are extremely well supported for the next stage in their learning, including the move to school.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff have consistently high expectations for children's behaviour. They create respectful and nurturing environments. There are well-established routines that successfully promote children's independence, confidence and wellbeing. Staff consistently model a calm, warm and sensitive approach that helps children to feel safe, secure and valued. For example, during nappy-changing routines, staff engage children in purposeful conversations and encourage them to develop their independence by attempting self-care skills. Children form secure and trusting relationships with staff and develop positive self-esteem. They are respectful, kind and independent. Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour and highly positive attitudes to learning. Children skilfully use their individual communication boards to make choices and support them during daily routines.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are happy, settled and keen to attend the setting, which reflects the warm and meaningful relationships they share with staff and their friends. They enthusiastically play indoors and outdoors using a wide range of stimulating and well-planned resources and activities. For example, children take turns as they go down the slide and collaborate with friends and staff to make play dough. They demonstrate excellent social skills and enjoyment in their play.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders and staff work collaboratively with families to promote children's regular attendance, which contributes to children's sustained engagement in learning. When children enrol, leaders and staff gather detailed information about their routines. They work in partnership with families to ensure continuity of care and learning.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate an unwavering commitment to promoting children's wellbeing. The setting is extremely well maintained, stimulating and welcoming. The settling-in process is carefully tailored to meet each child's needs, helping them settle quickly and smoothly. A well-established key-person system enables staff to know each child very well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Staff respond sensitively to children's needs, offering reassurance and comfort. This helps children to feel safe and confident to explore the learning environment.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop high levels of emotional wellbeing and confidence. Staff value the voice of every child and provide opportunities for them to choose what they want to do. For example, children vote for the book they would like to read during circle time. Staff use effective strategies to help children to recognise and express their emotions. For instance, staff support children in using colour-coded sensory resources linked to different emotions to help them understand and regulate their feelings.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Promoting healthy lifestyles is central to the setting's practice. Leaders share information with parents and carers about healthy eating. This ensures that children are provided with nutritious and well-balanced meals. During snack time, children choose which fruits they would like to eat, cut them into small pieces and pour their own drinks, supporting their growing independence. Staff supervise children carefully to minimise the risk of choking. Children show a secure understanding of how healthy and unhealthy foods affect their bodies. For example, they say that milk helps to keep their bones to be strong. Children thrive in this nurturing environment where their needs are consistently met.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Highly knowledgeable and experienced leaders have created an ambitious and well- sequenced curriculum. This is carefully tailored to meet each child's learning needs, including those who face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know children remarkably well and implement the curriculum to the highest standards. They engage in purposeful interactions that support children's next steps in learning. Teaching is precise and responsive to children's overall development, prioritising their personal, social and emotional needs. For example, children enjoy birdwatching and can confidently identify birds, such as robins, blue tits and sparrows. They also excitedly talk about hearing birds chirping at home. Children remember what they learn. They confidently link past experiences with present learning, using a rich and varied vocabulary.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff weave all areas of learning within the early years foundation stage framework, particularly communication and language, skilfully into teaching and play throughout the day. Staff are dedicated, attentive and reflective. They confidently extend children's vocabulary and spark their curiosity through inspiring experiences, such as nature walks, music sessions, visits to the library and learning about animals. For example, children enjoy having donkey rides at the nursery.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children eagerly enact the story, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', outdoors. They count the different foods the caterpillar eats. Children sing a song about metamorphosis while staff accompany them on the guitar. These engaging experiences help children to develop lifelong learning skills, such as focus, creativity, perseverance and collaboration. Children are confident, curious learners who enjoy exploring and discovering new ideas.

p.3

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff have a thorough understanding of the barriers that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who experience disadvantage, may face in their learning and development. They use highly effective monitoring strategies to identify gaps in children's development. Staff use detailed information gathered from parents and carers to respond swiftly to children's needs. This ensures that support is targeted and effective. Leaders and staff implement a highly consistent and skilful approach to inclusion that enables all children to flourish.

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff seek specialist advice and work closely with a wide range of external professionals, including occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. They embed professional guidance carefully into daily practice through tailored one-to-one support and small-group activities that address children's specific needs, such as their speech and language development and social interaction.

p.4

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use additional funding purposefully to ensure children can access all areas of the curriculum and to strengthen staff's understanding of supporting children's needs through a structured approach. For example, they have purchased sensory resources and outdoor equipment to support children's sensory development and physical coordination. Leaders meet regularly with each child's family to ensure they feel informed, reassured and confident about the support their child receives. This proactive approach promotes consistency of learning between the setting and home. All children make excellent progress in the expert care and education provided at the setting.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders maintain excellent standards across the setting. They are ambitious, inspirational and highly reflective. Leaders use robust self-evaluation to identify strengths and drive continuous improvement. For example, they have invested in outdoor climbing equipment of different sizes for older and younger children. This provides opportunities for children to strengthen their physical skills and self-confidence.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders implement rigorous recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. They provide a well-structured induction programme that supports newly appointed staff to understand their roles and responsibilities. Leaders hold regular and effective supervision sessions and provide coaching to strengthen staff knowledge and skills. They place an emphasis on professional development. Staff actively participate in continuous professional development opportunities and recognise the positive impact of training on their practice. For instance, after attending training on communication and language, staff use story sacks and rhyme bags to further support children's language development. Staff retention is a notable strength of the setting. Staff demonstrate a remarkably positive team spirit and say that leaders support their wellbeing effectively.

p.4

Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and staff observe and assess children's progress with great accuracy. They demonstrate a thorough understanding of each child's individual learning and developmental needs. Leaders and staff build effective partnerships with parents and carers and external professionals. This helps to ensure children receive appropriate support. Staff communicate regularly with parents about their child's day and progress through a range of approaches, such as verbal feedback, an online childcare application and termly meetings. Parents speak very positively about their experiences at the setting, particularly those whose children have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

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

p.5

Register

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

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

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

p.5

Register

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

p.5

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

Children arrive at the nursery extremely excited to start their day. Staff greet children warmly and show a keen interest in their wellbeing. Children settle quickly and eagerly play with their friends. Dedicated and highly qualified staff create exemplary, stimulating outdoor and indoor learning environments. Children are enthusiastic learners who display high levels of curiosity and imagination. For example, children work collaboratively using recycled cardboard boxes to build a range of structures. This encourages creativity while helping children to understand the importance of reusing materials and caring for the environment. Children remain focused in their play and show kindness and consideration towards others.

p.6

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

Staff have consistently high expectations for all children and ensure that all children are supported to succeed, whatever their starting points. Staff establish consistent yet flexible routines that build on children's knowledge and abilities. For example, as children's coordination and balance strengthen, they confidently progress to using outdoor climbing equipment. Staff celebrate children's achievements and efforts and encourage them to keep trying. These carefully planned approaches support children to develop remarkable independence, resilience and perseverance.

p.6

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

Leaders and staff implement a holistic curriculum based on children's interests, knowledge and skills. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make significant progress from their individual starting points. They show positive attitudes towards their learning and demonstrate genuine excitement and enthusiasm to learn more. For instance, children use online resources to find out the names of baby owls and learn about the different parts of a snail. Staff closely supervise children to keep them safe when they use technology. Children demonstrate high self-esteem and confidently share their views with fluency in English. For example, they speak enthusiastically about why they enjoy attending the setting. Children are developing a genuine love of learning and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.6

Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, children, parents and carers, the designated safeguarding leads and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator during the inspection.

p.6

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.7

Address:

Registered person: Village Nurseries Limited

p.7

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:45 - 15:30

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.7

Age range of children at the time of 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.

p.7

Exceptional

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

p.8

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.9