Smartees Day Care Nursery Ltd

Little Rascals Day Nursery Ltd Little Rascals Day Nursery, 89 Preston Road, Yeovil, BA20 2DN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 April 2015 Not applicable

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Previous inspection: Not applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Requires improvement The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Requires improvement The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Requires improvement The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Assessment of children's development is not always accurate so planned activities do not consistently build on what individual children already know and can do.  Key members of staff plan activities for specific children but do not routinely share this information with other staff working with the children. As a result, staff sometimes miss opportunities to extend children's learning when their key person is not available.  Although children's behaviour is generally good, they do not always receive clear guidance from staff to help them begin to manage minor differences for themselves.  The daily routines are not always well organised and sometimes result in children spending too much time waiting for their next activity.

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It has the following strengths

 Children settle well at the nursery because staff find out about their interests and whether they use any particular comforters when they are upset.  Children form secure attachments with the staff who care for them and are able to seek comfort and reassurance throughout the day.  The recently appointed manager has swiftly identified areas which need to improve. Although she knows what to do to bring about improvement, she has not yet had sufficient time to fully implement her plans.  Staff are motivated to access training and share an ambition to improve the quality of teaching.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure all staff regularly complete accurate assessments of children’s development and use this information to plan activities that will build on what children already know and help them to learn  improve the systems for ensuring all staff are familiar with what children need to learn next so that they are consistently supported in developing new skills.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 help children learn how to begin negotiating minor disagreements for themselves  review the organisation of the daily routines to reduce the time that children spend waiting for the next activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the two play rooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at children’s assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider’s self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and spoke with the staff and children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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who attend. This requires improvement

Staff offer children a wide range of activities both indoors and outdoors. This enables them to make some progress in their learning as they participate with excitement. For example, younger children enjoy a variety of sensory experiences. Older children use different vessels and tubes to explore the way water flows. Staff have recently focused on raising children's awareness of number, shape and size. Children now routinely count objects and identify shapes as they play. However, the assessment of children's development is inconsistent and lacks accuracy. Some staff occasionally over-estimate children's achievements or do not acknowledge the development of new skills. This means that planned activities do not always provide appropriate challenges so that children make good progress in their learning. Staff identify new targets for their key groups of children, but this information is not promptly shared with other staff members to ensure everyone

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who attend. This requires improvement

is encouraging children to develop new skills.

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requires improvement

The nursery provides a welcoming environment where children settle quickly. Children are encouraged to take part in activities that help them learn how to share resources and take turns. However, when they are playing independently they do not always receive clear instructions to help them understand when their behaviour is unacceptable. Children become increasingly confident and independent by learning to do things for themselves, such as cutting up fruit and vegetables or pouring their own drinks. At times, when children are waiting for the next organised activity, such as outdoor play or snack time, they wander aimlessly and are not sure what to do. Staff share what they know about children to help them make a smooth transition from one room to the next. Staff communicate regularly with parents, which supports good continuity of care between home and the nursery. They are developing links with external agencies so that they can

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requires improvement

access additional support for children when necessary.

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provision requires improvement

There are robust recruitment procedures in place to check the suitability of staff working with the children. The newly appointed manager is keen to improve the nursery. She has a clear understanding of regulatory requirements and has begun to implement actions to raise standards. She is beginning to use self-evaluation effectively to review practice and plans to extend this by seeking the views of parents as well as staff. Monitoring of planning and assessment has enabled her to identify gaps in how well children’s learning is supported. For example, staff have attended training to help them improve children’s understanding of mathematics. Regular meetings with staff are helping to identify areas for improvement, training needs and to set appropriate targets. However, as these procedures are only newly introduced, they have not yet had an impact on addressing inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY480779 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1012251 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 41 Name of provider Smartees Day Care Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01935 411144

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Setting details

Little Rascals Day Nursery Ltd was registered under new ownership in 2014. It is privately owned and operates from a self-contained building consisting of two rooms. There are two enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery is open each week day from 7am to 6pm throughout the year, except for one week at Christmas. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. There are 10 members of staff working with the children, including the manager, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The manager has Early Years Professional Status.

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Setting details

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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