Family who set up nursery business in Pinchbeck, Spalding and Holbeach because they couldn’t find local provisions for their children celebrate good Ofsted report
A family who set up their own nursery business because they couldn’t find childcare provisions in the area are celebrating after receiving their first Ofsted report.
It has been less than a year since Joshua and Lorraine Agdomar - who have more than 20 years’ combined experience working in education - set up Building Blocks Day Nurseries at sites in Spalding, Pinchbeck and Holbeach.
After having to take their three children out of the county for early years learning, the couple felt there was a gap in the market.
And their hard work is paying off after the Pinchbeck site received a good rating by inspectors, who came through the door just 16 weeks after the Knight Street venue was open to children.
“We are really, really happy. It’s just testament to the hard work,” said operations manager Joshua.
“The inspection came within 20 weeks of the building being registered, 16 weeks after it being open to children.
“We’re happy that families in the Pinchbeck area had access to good quality of education, a nursery that provides a good standard of behaviour, boundaries and attitudes.”
The couple opened up their Spalding site on Haverfield Road last May, with the Pinchbeck site opening in August.
The Holbeach nursery, situated on Branches Lane, opened in September.
“We have a young family and we were unable to access early years provision for our three children in the area,” Joshua said.
“We were put in a position where we had to find provision for our children all the way over in Peterborough. That was the nearest location.”
Building Blocks describes its plans as ‘ambitious’ but also prides itself on its near-40 staff focusing on kindness towards the children.
Healthy eating is also high on the agenda.
“It’s important to make sure the children were reassured the staff would always be kind to the children,” Joshua added.
“From day one and we’re so happy that was picked up by the inspector.
“There was also a strong emphasis for the children to have access to healthy food.
“We recognise that it was important to provide homecooked healthy meals. That was something we were unwavering in.”
As well as the overall rating, Pinchbeck’s Building Blocks nursery was also rated good in areas on overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.
“Children are happy to attend this welcoming nursery and are excited to play with the wide variety of learning experiences staff provide,” the report said.
“They seek comfort and cuddles from staff when needed and show they feel reassured by the staff's warmth and kindness.
“Children are encouraged to join in conversations from a young age and learn to listen to others.”
The report added that staff ‘place great emphasis on getting to know their (children’s) personalities, families and interests’ and that there is ‘an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first’.
The report also highlighted areas where the nursery could improve.
These included ‘building on staff's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum to help them consistently follow it’ and to ‘strengthen staff skills and knowledge to help them develop consistently high-quality interactions with children’.
What do you think? Do you struggle to get nursery places in our area? Let us know your views in the comments below...
