Ofsted Inspection
Inspection date 1st October 2021
Previous inspection date 20th January 2016
Great Leighs Village Hall, Boreham Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 1PP
Inspection date: 1 October 2021
Overall effectiveness Good
The quality of education Good
Behaviour and attitudes Good
Personal development Good
Leadership and management Good
Overall effectiveness at previous
inspection Outstanding
What is it like to attend this early years setting?
The provision is good
Children enter the nursery excitedly, find their name on the self-registration board
and part form their parents and carers with ease. They wave their parents a jolly
goodbye before skipping into the hall where they register their presence. Children
confidently place their belongings in their individual large bucket and begin their
busy day of learning. Children start each session at nursery with a large group
activity. They proficiently answer their name to whichever member of staff calls the
register, count how many children are present and talk about the nursery's rules
and boundaries. Children develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves
safe. They help staff to risk assess the outdoor play space and know that the
laminated red triangle signs placed on doors and the stage mean that these are
areas that they do not enter.
Children behave well. They are caring and considerate of each other. They
understand how to share the toys and resources and to wait for their turn when
playing games. Children's good and positive behaviour is rewarded by staff. They
celebrate children's achievements by adding a new link to the 'Team day of the
week' board. The aim each day is for children to work together and cooperate to
earn enough links to reach the floor by the end of that day. Children are
encouraged to express their feelings and share their thoughts. They speak to staff
about how they are feeling and use the emotions visual prompts to help them to
do this.
What does the early years setting do well and what does it
need to do better?
During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, when the nursery was only open
to some children due to COVID-19 restrictions, staff and managers supported
families who could not attend the nursery. They kept in regular contact with
them and provided home-learning activities for parents to do with their children.
When staff and children returned to the nursery, following this period, they
reassessed the children's needs and focused their attention on helping children
to re-adjust to social situations.
Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents speak highly of the staff and
managers. They share that their children make good progress and thoroughly
enjoy their nursery experience. Partnerships with staff at other settings that
children attend are strong, creating good opportunities for key persons to share
relevant information about the children's learning.
The staff team is strong and consistent, and many of the staff have worked
together for a number of years. They understand their general and daily roles
and responsibilities and work effectively as a team.
Children articulate their feelings well. Staff speak to them in a clear way. They
ask questions that help children to think about what they are doing and extend their learning.
Children learn about keeping healthy. They frequently make use of the hygiene
stations, where they collect tissues to wipe their nose and know that they should
then wash their hands or apply hand sanitiser. They confidently tell adults that
this means they 'wash the germs away'. Children develop their knowledge of
oral hygiene as they practise brushing the teeth on a model of the mouth and
use dentistry equipment to familiarise themselves with visiting the dentist.
Staff plan and organise activities that build on children's prior learning. Children
receiving birthday cards through the post prompts staff to organise one of the
role-play areas as a post office. Children excitedly write letters with staff and
place them in the post box. Staff encourage new language and vocabulary as
they sit with the children and support them to think about what to write in their
letters.
Visitors come into the nursery to speak to the children about their jobs, including
a vet and a dentist. However, staff do not currently make use of the local and
surrounding areas to enhance children's learning further. They do not provide
children with rich experiences that help them to explore communities outside of
their own.
Children are provided with some opportunities to develop independence. For
example, they practise putting their outdoor shoes and coats on when they
move from the hall to play and learn outdoors. However, there are few
opportunities for these skills to be promoted at other times during the nursery
day. For example, children do not help in the preparation and organisation of snack and mealtimes.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Staff and managers demonstrate secure knowledge of their responsibilities with
regards to safeguarding and protecting the children in their care. All staff and
managers regularly update their safeguarding knowledge, for example, through
training and research. Managers have effective recruitment procedures in place to
ensure that new staff are vetted and suitable to work with children. New staff
complete a thorough induction programme, which includes familiarising themselves
with the nursery's safeguarding policies and procedures.
What does the setting need to do to improve?
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider
should:
further enhance the opportunities provided to children to help them to learn
about communities outside of their own
build better opportunities for children to gain and further develop their independence skills
Setting details
Unique reference number 402153
Local authority Essex
Inspection number 10127383
Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare
Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Day care type Sessional day care
Age range of children at time of
inspection 2 to 4
Total number of places 26
Number of children on roll 40
Name of registered person Overee, Carol
Registered person unique
reference number RP513447
Telephone number 07751024351
Date of previous inspection 20 January 2016
Information about this early years setting
The Leighs Nursery Group registered in 1992. The nursery employs eight members
of childcare staff. Of these, all eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at
level 2 or above, including one with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens
from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.50am to
11.50am and from midday to 3pm. The nursery provides funded early education
for two-, three- and four-year-old children.
Information about this inspection.
Inspector
Lynn Hughes
Inspection activities
This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19
(coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the
pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in her evaluation of
the provider.
Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection.
The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and
outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.
The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together.
The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and
discussed their curriculum and what it is that they want the children to learn.
Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.
n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including the suitability checks
of the provider and all adults working in the nursery.
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.
If you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted.