Characters Day Nursery

Characters Day Nursery Richmond House, 49 Alma Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 4HE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 August 2015 15 September 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff accurately assess children's needs and take into account their interests. This helps them to plan a range of interesting activities, which motivate children to learn.  Staff form caring relationships with children, which gives children confidence to explore the activities on offer and promotes their well-being effectively.  Staff provide a good range of resources both inside and out, which are accessible to children. This enables children to make choices about their play and develop their independence.  Management and staff have good partnerships with parents, which promote children's learning and development. Parents are kept informed about children's progress and contribute what children are achieving at home.  The owners, manager and staff have a sound understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children. They implement a range of policies effectively to promote children's health and safety. Management use appropriate safe recruitment processes to ensure

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff encourage children to count and notice shapes and sizes during activities, but they do not always reinforce this learning at routine times.  Overall, children have ample opportunities to take part in physical activities. However, younger children have fewer opportunities to climb and balance in the outdoor area.

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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

 provide children with more opportunities to develop mathematical skills during routines  extend opportunities for younger children to develop physical skills outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning, both inside and out.  The inspector completed several joint observations with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the owners and manager and looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and a selection of policies.  The inspector took account of views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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who attend. This is good

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn through play. They interact positively with children during activities to develop children's skills across all areas of learning. Staff support children's development of communication and language skills by encouraging them to talk about their experiences in small groups, and valuing what they have to say. They share books with younger children, helping them to learn new words and begin to extend their sentences. Children develop literacy skills and begin to recognise their names as they find their pegs and recognise their name card at snack time. This helps them to develop important skills, which they will need when starting school. Children have regular access to outdoors, which is full of opportunities to explore nature, and promote their well-being and health.

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good

Staff use a variety of strategies to help children manage their own behaviour and share toys. For example, children enjoy using a sand timer, which helps them to understand how to take turns. Staff act as good role models, which results in children behaving well and making friends with others during play. Staff ensure children are safe and secure and teach them how to play safely. For example, older children wait to take turns when they are using climbing equipment outside. Staff provide healthy and nutritious snacks and meals. They talk to children about why it is important to eat a healthy diet. For example, staff explain how calcium in milk makes teeth and bones strong. At meal times, staff encourage children to take responsibility for serving themselves, which promotes their confidence and independence.

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provision is good

The manager makes the best use of the abilities of the qualified staff to provide good learning opportunities for children. She monitors staff effectiveness well to further develop their skills. Staff attend training to improve their practice. For example, all staff are taking part in a quality assurance programme, which has led them to review their practice. Consequently, they are able to provide new play experiences for children, so that they are motivated to learn. Management use self-evaluation well to monitor progress and improve outcomes for children. All actions and recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed. For example, systems to monitor children's progress have improved, which ensures that staff are able to plan activities to extend children's learning. Effective arrangements with local schools ensure children are ready for moving on to the next stage of their learning. Parents comment that their children enjoy attending the nursery and

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY332113 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 991531 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 46 Name of provider Characters Partnership Date of previous inspection 15 September 2014 Telephone number 01752 662 886

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Setting details

Characters Day Nursery registered in 2006 and is privately owned. It operates from the Stoke area of Plymouth. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years of age. The nursery employs nine members of staff. Of these, five hold early years qualifications at level 3, two hold qualifications at level 2 and two are unqualified.

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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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