Little Firs

Little Firs Day Nursery received an Ofsted Inspection on the 23rd January 2020

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Little Firs Day Nursery are happy to share our achievements with you. 

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Ofsted introduced the new Education Inspection Framework in 2019 and put the curriculum at the heart of their new framework and more emphasis on the quality of education and care. They concentrate on how the seven areas of learning support ‘cultural capital’. Ofsted states ‘cultural capital’ as the essential knowledge that children need to

be educated citizens and is the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for future success.

The Ofsted inspectors now focus on ‘what it is like to be a child in the early years setting,’ how well the practitioners know the children, meet their individual needs and plan for their next steps of learning.

Little Firs Day Nursery are proud to say we got a good rating with some outstanding practices.

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• Overall Effectiveness: Good

• Quality of Education: Good 

• Behaviour and Attitudes: Outstanding

• Personal Development: Good 

• Leadership & Management: Good 

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This provision is GOOD.

The grades are now harder to achieve and the Ofsted Reports are very short but as you read ours, it will become apparent on how well we did. It shows clearly how dedicated, committed and hard-working the staff are and how this has positively impacted on all the children’s learning and development. The report highlights the staff as being ‘excellent role models.’ It also highlights the children's behaviour and attitudes to learning as Outstanding which ensures that the children meet their full potential.

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The inspector stated:

•  The children are very happy and settled. They feel secure and have made strong attachments to their key person and other staff. As a result, they are confident and independent learners. The babies delight in opportunities to be physically active. They climb steps on the slide and enjoy singing nursery rhymes and songs with staff as they enthusiastically join in with the actions. The toddlers explore their surroundings excitedly. They play extremely well with one another as they take on different roles in the role-play area. They confidently speak to visitors, using a wide vocabulary. Older children use tools skilfully to prepare fruit and vegetables to use in the pretend takeaway restaurant. Older children thoroughly enjoy woodwork. They learn the names of the different tools, such as a saw. They know they must wear safety glasses to protect their eyes as they learn about and manage the risks involved.

• Children develop good communication and language skills. They receive targeted support from staff, who have high expectations for all children, including those who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Leaders and staff know the children well. They use their good knowledge to plan a wide and challenging curriculum, which supports children to make good progress. Children behave extremely well. They play exceptionally well with one another, share resources and take turns. They have an excellent understanding of right and wrong.

• Leaders have a clear vision for the future of the nursery and use self-evaluation very effectively to help them reflect on practice and identify areas for improvement. For example, staff have reorganised the playrooms to encourage children to make more independent choices and lead their own play. Children in the toddler room now have a larger area to develop their role-play ideas, which has encouraged their creativity and imagination successfully.

• Staff have an extremely wide range of opportunities to attend training and develop their teaching skills further. Following training about story making, staff have provided older children with more opportunities to listen and retell stories, using pictures and story maps. This has helped children to begin to write their own stories and has extended their vocabulary as they learn and remember new words.

• Children's behaviour is superb. They are extremely respectful of one another and kind. Younger children help one another to put on aprons before water play and older children talk to one another about sharing and being fair. Staff are excellent role models. They actively listen to children and consider their views.

• Partnerships with parents are very strong. Staff work very well with parents to help them continue to support children's learning at home. For example, parents have access to a range of learning tools and games on the nursery's website to support children's learning in all areas. To enhance partnerships further, children take home their key-person's named teddy with activities to further support home learning.

• Staff working with babies attend to their care needs well. They find out about their home routines and follow these as closely as possible. This helps babies to feel safe and secure. They interact well with them as they explore the sand. They hold their hands and pretend to row a boat as they sing songs.

• Leaders and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities very effectively. The special educational needs coordinator is extremely proactive in accessing additional support for children when needed. She attends meetings and staff implement strategies to help children make good progress from their starting points. All children learn a wide range of skills which build on their independence and prepare them very successfully for the next stage in learning and school.

• Children have daily opportunities to play outside and benefit from fresh air and exercise. They skilfully use climbing equipment, negotiate pathways when using ride-on toys and have many opportunities for sensory play with sand, water and other media. Staff leave the doors open so that all children can choose to play inside or outdoors, which particularly supports those children who learn better outside.

• Leaders and staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date through training. They are clear on their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. They can recognise the signs and symptoms which may be a cause for concern and know what action to take. Thorough vetting and recruitment procedures help to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff carry out daily risk assessments and provide children with opportunities to understand how to keep themselves safe as they identify potential risks in the environment.