Recently there’s been significant strain between Ofsted and the nursery sector and finding better ways of working together is critical. NMT speaks to Gareth Degenhart, founder of The Lime Trees

What is the central childcare ethos of The Lime Trees?

This really goes back to why I started, and why The Lime Trees nursery was founded back in 2013. At the time, I was a frustrated parent, trying to navigate childcare challenges for my daughter. We were using a nursery and breakfast and after-school clubs. Nothing was simple and none of it worked for us as a family, from high prices to a lack of flexibility. My daughter went to a site that was rated Outstanding but as a parent, it didn’t feel that way.

We wanted to do things differently from any provider I knew then. For me, being Outstanding wasn’t, and still isn’t, about being outstanding on inspection day. It’s about embodying that ethos every day. To try and improve, every day, from yesterday. This vision had three strands: affordable, flexible and quality – simple but powerful.

Once we had that locked in as our vision, that absolute determination to go against the grain and be different to every other childcare provision, we then had to clarify what underpinned us. I held a group session and, together with about 30 colleagues, came up with these six values: Enrich, Play, Invest, Outstanding, Extra Mile and Transparent. Every tough day, hard decision or challenge, and every action, would be guided by these values. Fast-forward to today and these values are stronger than they’ve ever been.

Each value forces us to reflect and to check in with ourselves to make sure that we’re doing everything for the benefit of children and parents. How do we ensure that each time a child is with us, they have chance to have fun? How are we continuing to invest in training that promotes the quality of childcare we offer? How do we give back to hard-to-reach families? How do we go the extra mile for every stakeholder? Consistently living by our vision and values is how we promote the very highest standards of childcare.

Tied in with this is the fact that we listen to stakeholders on a regular basis through formal and informal methods. This means that we can manoeuvre quite fluidly and flexibly for continual improvement. And, because every single person in the business has bought into our values wholeheartedly, everyone takes ownership and accountability for their role in upholding them. That’s what makes The Lime Trees so special.

What are the key takeaways from your recent Outstanding Ofsted inspection?

We’ve had a number of inspections recently and they aren’t as they said they would be – each inspector has done them very differently. On the whole, it seems inspectors aren’t wanting to see as much paperwork and are much more focussed on observations and discussions with staff, parents and senior leaders. We’ve also seen that inspectors want to conduct the leadership and management discussions with the named setting manager which is a recent change by Ofsted.

What advice do you have for nursery owners preparing for an Ofsted inspection?

First and foremost, this is a process. This isn’t something you can just do a week or a month before. This has to be a process from the day you decide to open your nursery or the day after you’ve had your inspection. I’d break this down into four points:

1. Recruitment – you’ve got to get your recruitment right. It’s better to have an unfilled vacancy than a bad position filled. That’s about you being very clear about what the role is, what your expectations are and what your values are to make sure you and your staff are fully aligned
2. Induction – the inductions your staff receive must be incredibly thorough and take place over an extended period of time to ensure they fully understand how your nursery works
3. Training – must be offered in multiple forms, to make sure your team is the best it can be. This can be internal, external, peer-to-peer and supervisions. Offer regular, quality training for all staff
4. Lead – make sure you have strong leadership to support each member of staff.

How much of a role do your managers play during the inspection and how do you ensure they are properly prepared to handle an inspector?

Managers are integral to the inspections – whereas before, someone senior to the manager could have some influence, now the managers are the ones who are going to be doing the joint observations. They’re also going to be doing the learning walk and most of the leadership and management Q and As. So, your managers are paramount to a successful inspection.

More than preparing them, you have to have recruited the right person. As with any member of the team, you must ensure managers are inducted correctly, have the right training for crucial things like the learning walk and joint observations. And they must be supported by strong leadership from above to empower them in their role.

How do you ensure quality across so many settings?

It’s about making sure you have thorough and robust procedures in place that staff fully understand. This will promote consistency. Support for settings from head office is vital, both informal and formal – supervision, peer-to-peer and drop-in sessions are particularly beneficial. You must also focus on building the infrastructure behind the scenes with a highly skilled, experienced and knowledgeable team. This holistic approach will pay dividends as you expand.

Finally, what are the plans and aspirations for The Lime Trees this year?

Our plans are to be the largest provider in the UK, forever retaining our vision to offer affordable, flexible and quality childcare. The one thing I’ve learnt over the last few years is that a successful nursery can also do great things for the community. We’re not insular; what we do is about so much more than being a quality nursery.

We’re becoming so much more as a provider and it gives me the greatest sense of achievement.