Early Explorers

Early Explorers Old Hall Church, Dewsnap Lane, Dukinfield, SK16 4UH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 January 2016 Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Staff have high expectations of children and are fully responsive to their learning needs. Tailored group times and directed one-to-one sessions help to provide a strong focus on supporting all children, including disabled children and those with special educational needs and more able children, to continually extend their knowledge and skills.  Children are very happy and settled with a team of caring and dedicated staff who attend to their every need. A highly effective key-person system takes account of children's preferences, helping to ensure that their well-being is effectively nurtured.  Staff use innovative ways to engage parents in all aspects of their children's learning. They share children's progress and encourage parents and children to have an active voice when contributing thoughts for future learning. Staff provide meaningful activities to extend children's learning at home.  Effective tracking of children's progress at all levels helps to ensure that any gaps in

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This provision is good

learning are identified and supported through timely interventions. Staff work together with other professionals exceptionally well and implement precise individual education and care plans to carefully support children's specific needs. Children make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Managers and leaders do not yet provide fully continuous professional development opportunities that are specifically focussed on enhancing teaching and learning.  On occasions, staff miss opportunities to enhance children's number and counting skills during their everyday activities.

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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

 extend the highly focussed continuous professional development opportunities that help staff enhance their already good knowledge of teaching and learning  strengthen opportunities for all children to enhance their counting skills during everyday activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the nursery.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with one of the managers during a group time activity.  The inspector held discussions with the managers, the staff and children throughout the inspection.  The inspector observed children throughout the inspection during their freely chosen activities.  The inspector observed a focussed one-to-one session led by one of the managers.  The inspector examined a range of documents. These included, evidence of suitability checks, a record of staff training, focussed improvement plans, children's observation and assessment records and the policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views from parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Thorough induction of staff and regular reviewing of policies helps to ensure that all staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures. Children's safety is highly regarded. Detailed checks of the environment, secure areas and rigorous checks of visitors contribute to ensuring that children remain safe. Recruitment procedures are robust. Managers and leaders, overall, monitor staff performance well. Effective mentors, staff supervisions and observations of practice help staff to identify what they do well and what needs to be improved. The highly qualified staff team aspire to improve. Continual evaluations of practice, detailed improvement plans and shared learning from any training are in place. Staff use these to help ensure that children have access to high-quality care and learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The quality of teaching is good. Planning takes account of children's interests, learning styles and next steps to help provide them with optimal challenge. Younger children eagerly engage in their group time activity. They enjoy singing familiar songs and maintain interest through using props that help them acquire good communication and language skills. Staff provide a good range of creative materials for children to explore. They use tools for a purpose when patting, pressing and rolling dough to create a desired effect. Staff extend children's learning and resources, such as weighing scales, help to promote their early awareness of measuring. Older children enjoy communicating their experience of planting apricot seeds in their appealing outdoor environment. Staff are passionate and read stories with great enthusiasm. Children listen attentively and respond well by joining in with familiar rhyming strings. They are prompted to recall associated words, such as

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

'hibernation', to help develop their breadth of vocabulary and knowledge of the world.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are settled and assured throughout their day. Staff effectively prepare children for any changes to their routine so that they have time to bring their play to a close. Children enjoy carrying out tasks for themselves, such as handing out the snack bowls to their friends, to help develop their independence. Daily opportunities for outdoor play contribute to children's good health. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring their natural environment. They begin to manage risks for themselves during den building projects and when attempting to climb trees. Staff use effective teaching techniques to introduce children to school. For example, they visit local schools and take photographs to share with children to help them become familiar with their new environment and teacher. Children demonstrate friendly behaviour. Older children take an active role in modelling the expectations for behaviour so that younger children learn about acceptable behaviour.

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Outcomes for children are good

Staff are fully responsive to children's learning needs. Their good knowledge of how children learn and effectively tailored support help to ensure that all children make good progress and, occasionally, progress that is better than good. This contributes to children gaining the key skills they need for their next stages in learning, including school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY490349 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 1022806 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 17 Name of provider Early Explorers Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07471198602

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Setting details

Early Explorers was registered in 2015. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3 and 4, including one of the managers with Qualified Teacher Status and one member of staff with Early Years Teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am until 3.15pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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Setting details

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