Autumn Cottage Childcare Limited

Autumn Cottage Childcare Limited

Unique reference number (URN): 2820561 Address: Eversley Village Hall, Glaston Hill Road, Eversley, Hook, RG27 0LX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 02/01/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Autumn Cottage Childcare 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 Strong standard

Children develop the skills and confidence they need to prepare them for their next stage of learning. Staff provide targeted support for children who may face barriers to learning, working closely with families to identify effective strategies that can be used both at nursery and at home. Children develop increasing independence in everyday routines, including managing their self-care, trying new foods and becoming less reliant on comfort routines. Consistent approaches between nursery and home help children build confidence and apply their developing skills in different environments.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children become confident communicators. Staff skilfully adapt their interactions to meet children's individual ages and stages of development. Staff consistently support children to develop their vocabulary by introducing new words and language during everyday experiences. With younger children, staff model correct pronunciation, respond sensitively and allow children time to process questions and share their ideas. Older children are encouraged to extend their language further by predicting, explaining and describing their thoughts. For example, during colour-mixing activities, staff encourage children to use descriptive language to anticipate what will happen. They introduce words such as 'light' and 'dark' to help them develop a broader understanding of colour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders and staff have robust procedures in place to monitor and support children with ongoing behavioural needs. They identify patterns in behaviour to help understand and address any underlying causes, reducing the likelihood of further incidents. Staff respond calmly to minor disagreements, encouraging children to reflect on how their actions affect others. For example, they ask children to consider how they would feel if someone spoke to them in the same way, helping them to develop empathy and respectful interactions. Children increasingly manage their own feelings and behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children show kindness by offering one another different resources to support their play. They work collaboratively, for example, to free dinosaur teeth and fossils from blocks of ice. Staff encourage them to take turns and work together. Children proudly tell others when they have helped a friend free a dinosaur bone, demonstrating a strong sense of cooperation. Children develop skills that help create a positive and inclusive learning environment.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders go above and beyond to support children and families experiencing challenging circumstances. This ensures that children, particularly those facing barriers to learning, can maintain positive routines and regular attendance. They provide practical, financial and emotional support tailored to families' individual needs. This helps to reduce the impact on children's wellbeing and education. This includes enabling children to continue attending the nursery during periods of hardship, offering assistance with essential household needs, signposting families to access wider support services and helping them secure more stable living arrangements. Their compassionate and proactive approach helps to provide children with consistency, security and the best possible opportunities to thrive.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Well-structured routines are embedded throughout the nursery to promote children's self- care, emotional wellbeing and healthy lifestyles. Leaders place a high priority on keeping their knowledge up to date to ensure that they provide high-quality care and support for children and their families. Children develop valuable hygiene habits, such as washing their hands before meals. Staff follow effective food preparation practices to minimise choking risks. Opportunities for independence are woven into daily routines, with children serving their own vegetables at lunchtime and being encouraged to peel and segment fruit independently. The nursery's commitment to healthy living is recognised through a healthy eating and nutrition badge awarded by the local authority. Staff have also received training through The Sleep Charity, providing them with the knowledge and practical strategies to support families in establishing healthy sleep routines for their children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff develop nurturing relationships with their key children and are highly attuned to their emotional needs. Babies and children confidently seek reassurance from familiar adults when they feel unsure or upset. Staff respond with warmth and sensitivity, offering comfort and reassurance. Because staff know the children so well, they quickly recognise when a child is behaving out of character. They respond appropriately to support their wellbeing and communicate any concerns promptly with parents.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are taught strategies to help them self-regulate their emotions. For example, staff teach children breathing techniques to help them calm down when they are feeling stressed or angry. This enables children to manage their emotions more effectively and respond to challenging situations in a calm and positive way.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders provide a highly ambitious curriculum that supports all areas of their learning and development. Leaders carefully design the curriculum each year, using their knowledge of the children's needs, interests and stages of development to ensure that it is purposeful and inclusive. They consider the needs of all children, including those who may face barriers to learning, enabling them to make excellent progress and develop the skills they need for their next steps. The curriculum is carefully sequenced across each room, ensuring that children build their knowledge and skills progressively. For example, babies begin to develop early mathematical understanding through songs and rhymes, toddlers build their recognition of numerals from 3 onwards. Older children are supported to solve problems by comparing quantities and calculating how many more or fewer are in a group.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff demonstrate high-quality teaching. They explain to children what it is they are going to be learning. They encourage them to reflect on previous learning so they can build on what they know and can do. For example, staff encourage the children to share their ideas about how to remove dinosaur teeth and fossils from ice. They are encouraged to remember what happened when the ice melted in someone's drink and why this happened. When experimenting with different tools and materials to melt the ice, staff expertly ask prompting questions to encourage children to articulate what is happening. Children can make links in their experiences and embed what they have learned. Children are highly motivated and engaged in their play. Children develop an appreciation of the natural world. They take part in planting flowers and growing fruit and vegetables. They care for the plants as they grow, developing an

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

understanding of life cycles and where food comes from. Children proudly enter their produce into the local village produce show. Children develop a sense of achievement, belonging and connection to their wider community.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff know children well and are consistently able to identify where children need support or face barriers to their learning. They work closely with outside agencies and parents to provide the right support for each individual child. Children requiring additional support are given small, measurable targets that are reviewed regularly to ensure that children are progressing in their development. Any funding children receive is appropriately used to support their individual needs. Parents report that the positive impact the nursery has had on their children's development is immense.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff work cohesively with parents and other professionals to ensure that all children, including those who face barriers to learning, are fully prepared for their later learning. They value and implement the advice and guidance of external professionals, ensuring that support is consistent and that everyone works together to meet each child's individual needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Effective strategies are embedded to support children's next steps in learning. For example, staff use early sign language to enhance children's early communication and language skills. This enables them to communicate more confidently and engage fully in the setting. They adapt their provision according to the needs of individual children, making sure that everyone feels valued and included.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective and continually strive to provide the best possible care and education. They evaluate their practice effectively, accurately identify areas for improvement and take purposeful action to strengthen the quality of the provision. Leaders ensure that the curriculum and environment are responsive to the needs of the children attending. For example, they have adapted resources and adjusted expectations around concentration times to reflect the abilities and developmental needs of the children who attend. They actively value feedback from parents and consider children's views when making improvements, ensuring that the provision continues to evolve and support positive outcomes for children and families.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel highly supported and valued. They receive regular supervision, ongoing feedback and encouragement to reflect on and develop their practice. Leaders place a strong emphasis on continuous professional development, providing staff with opportunities beyond mandatory training to deepen their understanding of children's learning and development. For example, staff benefit from training that helps them to understand how and when to interact with babies during play, including using simple language, repeating words and phrases, and recognising the right moments to engage. They also develop their knowledge of child development through training such as brain development and attachment, which informs their approach to supporting children's emotional wellbeing and learning. This knowledge is used effectively when shaping the curriculum and creating an environment that responds to children's individual needs.

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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 are greeted with warmth and enthusiasm as they enter this welcoming and inclusive environment. This helps them to feel safe, secure and valued. They form strong, nurturing attachments with leaders and staff, confidently seeking comfort and reassurance

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Inspector:

when they need support. A robust settling-in process enables staff to gather detailed information about each child's interests, individual needs and any potential barriers to learning. This ensures that children receive personalised care and support from the outset, promoting their wellbeing and helping them to thrive. Children confidently take part in arrival routines, selecting their own name pebbles and placing them in their groups. Children enjoy welcoming one another through songs, developing positive relationships and a sense of connection with their peers. They develop a great sense of belonging.

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Inspector:

Children achieve high levels of confidence. They excitedly perform songs in front of their peers and take turns to stand on a log to perform. The children encourage and motivate each other, saying 'you got this' when children show reluctance to perform. This supportive environment helps children develop resilience, confidence and a willingness to try new experiences. Children show enthusiasm and curiosity in their learning. Babies engage with music by moving rhythmically, jiggling along and copying actions during songs. Older children develop their listening, attention and coordination skills as they use musical instruments to respond to instructions such as 'stop', 'go', 'loud' and 'soft'.

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Inspector:

Children develop a deep understanding and respect for diversity. Staff celebrate what makes each person unique, and the curriculum reflects the backgrounds, cultures and experiences of the children and families who attend. They ensure that children see their own identities represented and learn about those of others. Staff create meaningful opportunities for children to explore different celebrations, languages and traditions. They also develop their own knowledge by learning key words and phrases from children's home languages to support communication and belonging. They carefully adapt experiences and celebrations to ensure that all children and families feel included, respected and valued.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinator, parents and children 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. Nina Fortuna

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Address:

Eversley Village Hall Glaston Hill Road, Eversley Hook RG27 0LX

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Autumn Cottage Childcare Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 05:30

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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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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. 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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