Elephant & Castle Childcare Centre

Elephant & Castle Childcare Centre Dunham Road, Sporle, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE32 2DD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 February 2016 9 May 2011

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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 are qualified and teaching is good overall. Staff talk confidently about where children are in their learning and development and what they need to do to support their continuing progress.  Children's early literacy skills are progressing very well. Books and reading are embedded into the centre's practice. Children listen attentively to popular stories and eagerly anticipate the next sentence.  Staff are caring and attentive to what children say and do. They give children individual attention which helps to ensure that each child feels valued and special. This helps children to build strong bonds and secure emotional attachments and promotes their well-being and self-confidence.  Staff establish strong relationships with parents. Parents are fully informed about the educational programme and are actively involved in supporting their child's development at home and within the centre.  The manager and senior staff lead the centre well. They have a clear view of the

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This provision is good

centre's strengths and can identify any areas for further development. They work closely with the local authority to consistently improve.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always adjust their teaching accordingly when working with a mixed age and ability group of children, in order to maximise all children's learning.  Staff's professional development is not highly focused enough to raise the quality of teaching to an outstanding level.

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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

 improve the teaching and planning of adult-led activities and adapt experiences to suit the different ages and needs of the children  enhance staff's professional development to improve the quality of teaching so that all children make rapid progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the centre's deputy manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the centre's deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the centre's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the centre.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have completed training in safeguarding and they have a good awareness of how to keep children safe and ensure their welfare. Potential risks are minimised as staff carry out regular checks of the premises. The manager successfully checks how well staff do their jobs and provides opportunities for support and guidance. She implements termly staff supervisions and observations of practice to help enhance staff performance. Staff attend mandatory training to keep children safe, such as first aid and food safety. The manager tracks the progress of individual children to allow any emerging gaps in their learning to be identified and addressed.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe, assess and plan appropriate activities for children based on the next steps in their learning. Staff make learning fun for babies and children. They provide a range of different activities for children to enjoy, including role play, sand and water. Children engage and maintain their interest as they explore a mixture of sand and water. Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They encourage conversations and ask children questions. Older children use their language confidently and eagerly talk about what they are doing. Children develop an awareness of information technology as they sit together with friends and play educational games on the computer. Staff help to promote children's emerging mathematical understanding well. They encourage children to count and bring discussions about size and shape into activities. Children are given lots of opportunities to develop their early literacy skills. They recognise their own name card

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

when they arrive, when securing a place at snack time and when at the lunch table.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The atmosphere throughout the setting is particularly calm and children thrive in the relaxed and happy environment. Staff organise the environment effectively to enable children to make choices about their play. This helps children to be independent and choose activities and resources that interest them. Children behave well and show kindness, concern and respect to others. Staff support good personal and social skills by encouraging children to share, take turns and play cooperatively together. Children engage in exercise and physical activities indoors and outdoors. These contribute towards promoting the physical well-being of children. They have a good understanding of the importance of washing their hands before eating. This helps them to develop a healthy lifestyle. Staff promote children's independence skills and help them manage their own personal needs. For example, children help to prepare their own healthy snacks, pour their

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

own drinks and develop confidence in visiting the toilet by themselves.

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Outcomes for children are good

Overall, children achieve well in their learning and development. Children learn valuable skills in literacy and mathematics which helps to prepare them for school and future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY272770 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 860834 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 34 Name of provider Gloria Lloyd Date of previous inspection 9 May 2011 Telephone number 01760 720 357

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Setting details

Elephant & Castle Childcare Centre was registered in 2003. The centre employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the manager who holds an early years degree. The centre opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The centre 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

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

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