Ofsted report

Abbey Nursery is Ofsted “Good”

Ofsted viewed that children are happy and settled in their environment and form good relationships. Staff are caring and dedicated to supporting children’s well-being and learning, including those with additional needs.

Summary of key findings for parents:

  • the leadership and management team is strong and it demonstrates a good understanding of its roles and responsibilities. It evaluates effectively and continually improves aspects of the provision to provide a high-quality service. For example, it analyses parents’ questionnaires, gives feedback and publishes the results
  • staff use their secure knowledge about the children and what they can achieve effectively to plan challenging activities and resources. Children are enthused, engaged and motivated to learn, using their own initiative. This helps children to become independent learners, a skill that helps prepare them for their next stage of learning
  • children are happy and settled in their environment and form good relationships. Staff are caring and dedicated to supporting children’s well-being and learning, including those with additional needs. Children make good progress in their learning
  • both the leadership team and staff have effective partnerships with external agencies and other professionals, which help them to meet children’s individual requirements
Further comments from Ofsted’s report:

“Parents and staff work effectively in partnership and share purposeful information about children’s progress. Parents are very positive about the setting and comment on how much their children enjoy themselves and the good progress they make.”

“Staff are well qualified and have high expectations of children based on their accurate assessment. They observe children’s achievements and take notes about what they have seen. They use this information successfully to plan rich and varied experiences that are appropriate to each child’s interests and help support their next steps of development.”

“Staff are attentive to the children and value what they have to say. Children freely share their ideas and opinions and develop good social skills.”

“Children are confident learners, developing various skills that will help them prepare for school.”

“Children have good opportunities to play outdoors daily and gain plenty of fresh air and exercise to keep fit and healthy.”

“Staff enthusiastically engage and sing nursery rhymes, using the actions to help extend children’s learning. Staff incorporate the targets of specialist services into their educational plans for the children. This helps to support all children, including those with additional needs.”

Health and safety

The health and safety of all children and adults visiting, working or playing at the nursery is very important. It is our policy to provide a suitable safe and healthy environment. We have a no-smoking policy on the premises. Everyone who visits the nursery must consider health and safety issues at all times. Our nursery has a dedicated health and safety co-ordinator, who has overall responsibility (along with the manager) for maintaining the nursery’s standards of health and safety.

Preventing accidents

We check premises and equipment every day for safety and carry out risk assessments regularly. It is our policy to make sure that all children and adults are aware of dangers and possible risks.

Security

Systems are in place to prevent unauthorised access to the premises and also for the safe arrival and departure of children. Children will be supervised at all times throughout the day and will be in sight of the practitioners at all times.

Fire safety

Fire doors are clearly marked, never blocked, and easy to open from the inside. All smoke detectors and alarms and firefighting equipment meet the British Standards European Norm (BSEN). They are fitted in appropriate high-risk areas of the building and are checked as recommended by the manufacturer. A fire drill will be carried out once a month.

Subtitle
Subtitle

Activities and equipment

Before we buy equipment and resources, we will check them to make sure that they are safe for the ages and developmental stages of the children who will use them. All materials, including paint or glue, are non-toxic. All gas and electric appliances meet the relevant safety standards. It is our policy to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all nursery employees, and to provide any information, training and supervision they need.

Food and hygiene

We offer hygienic play, dining and toileting areas. We store all food appropriately, and staff who prepare and handle food receive appropriate training and will follow all food safety and hygiene regulations.