Westmill Nursery

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About Westmill Nursery


Name Westmill Nursery
Inspections
Ofsted Inspections
Address Westmill Village Hall, Westmill, BUNTINGFORD, Hertfordshire, SG9 9LJ
Phase Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises
Gender Mixed
Local Authority Hertfordshire
Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They consistently follow rules in the nursery and support each other, mostly without adult intervention. For example, staff provide sand timers and show children how to use them.

This enables children to take turns fairly, which promotes their social skills. Children help each other search for insects on their woodland walk and excitedly show their peers. They ask, 'Can you help me, please?', when they encounter difficulties.

This shows that children have extremely high levels of self-control. Staff are positive role models and teach children about feelings to help them understand the...ir emotions. Children participate in daily mindfulness activities to learn self-regulation techniques.

They have consistently high levels of respect for each other as they share their special achievements during circle time. This has a positive impact on children's behaviour and attitudes, as they are highly engaged and motivated to learn. Children watch horses in the field and learn about the differences in animal's and children's diets, laughing as they discuss that horses eat grass.

Children plant vegetables and learn how to help them grow. They explore what is inside different foods, such as avocados and peppers. Children independently use knives to cut through the food and peel them open to view the seeds.

They happily take turns as they make 'potions' and explore the room to add more resources. This develops children's independence and knowledge of the natural world.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Children have developed a love of stories and songs, which helps to support their literacy skills.

They often ask for stories to be read to them. Staff enthusiastically read using different tones of voice and pause to encourage children to fill in the missing phrases. They use props to bring the story to life, and children show high levels of engagement and excitement throughout.

Staff have high expectations of children and introduce new vocabulary, such as 'adventure', developing their communication and language skills.Staff encourage children to look for shapes and numbers in the environment. When children go on a walk, they spot numbers and shapes on a house, developing their mathematical skills.

Children access boxes and pieces of material for construction play. Staff support them to see if the materials are 'transparent', explaining that this means 'see through'. Children remain highly engaged as they select resources to construct with, developing their creativity.

Children learn about different cultures and customs through planned activities and a wide range of visits in the local community. They recently tried Chinese cuisine during Chinese New Year, and each spring local farmers notify staff when the lambs are due, so they can arrange visits. Occasionally, some staff are less confident in supporting children's understanding of diversity during everyday activities.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress. Staff regularly meet with parents and other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to discuss children's progress and share strategies to support their next steps in learning. Children's confidence and speech have developed well since starting at the nursery.

Staff have created strong partnerships with other settings children attend. They regularly share information on what children are learning. In addition, staff have developed good procedures to help children transition to school.

Children learn self-care skills, which helps them to be independent, as they participate in physical education lessons. School staff have noticed the positive impact of these skills in helping children to settle.Parents say they are amazed with the outdoor learning experiences children receive.

They often speak to their child's key person, and photos are shared using an online platform. Parents can share children's achievements and what they have been learning at home with staff, who incorporate this into activities in the nursery. They comment that children love going into the nursery, where they are greeted by warm and attentive staff.

Staff speak highly of their managers and say they feel very supported. They are provided with regular training opportunities to develop their knowledge. The management team involves staff in reflecting on practice and the environment to maintain children's engagement and spark new interests.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are proactive in teaching children how to stay safe. During walks, they teach children about road safety, how to stay safe in the sun and how to treat nettle stings.

The management team has a rigorous recruitment and induction process in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse, including neglect and female genital mutilation. Staff are also aware of the signs of radicalisation and county lines and how to report any concerns.

Staff know the appropriate action to take if they have concerns about a member of staff. The management team often reviews children's accidents to check for any emerging patterns or cause for concern.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to further extend their teaching practice, to enhance children's exploration and understanding of diversity through everyday play.


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