Chipmunks Day Nursery

Chipmunks Day Nursery 34 Buxton Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9PJ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 November 2016 8 April 2013

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff use their skills well to help children of all ages and abilities make consistently good progress, relative to their starting points. Precise assessments help staff to effectively identify any gaps in children's learning and take action to address these.  The management team and staff are committed to maintaining good-quality outcomes for children. Strong self-evaluation and action plans focus on how well changes support children's learning. For example, more children practise writing since staff extended the range of resources for mark making outdoors.  Children of all ages show good levels of self-esteem and their behaviour shows they feel emotionally secure. Babies quickly develop strong bonds with staff, and older children learn how to express their emotions appropriately.  Staff support children who have special educational needs or disability very well. Strong partnerships with parents, and with other professionals, help staff in planning to ensure

p.1

This provision is good

a consistent and shared approach to ongoing learning.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Opportunities for children to learn further about technology, such as for different purposes, do not provide enough challenge for older children.  At times, staff do not encourage older children to become more independent, for example, at mealtimes, and they do not offer babies enough opportunities to interact fully with one another throughout some daily routines.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 provide older children with more challenge as they learn about technology  increase opportunities for older children to independently manage daily tasks for themselves, and review the organisation of some daily routines to provide a more social environment for babies.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children engaged in learning activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke to parents and children.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and they discussed staff practice.  The inspector reviewed the effectiveness of the learning and development programme, and how well this is monitored to help children make progress.  The inspector sampled required policies and procedures, including safeguarding procedures, and assessed staff's understanding of how to implement these.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management team gives staff good professional support. They monitor the effectiveness of new skills and knowledge staff obtain, such as by measuring the impact on children's learning. For example, following training, staff reviewed activity planning and the organisation of space for two-year-old children to provide better choices and more freedom to decide where they wish to play. Staff have observed the very positive effect changes have had, especially for boys, to encourage them to explore, investigate and use resources in their own way. Safeguarding is effective. Strong induction systems for new staff ensure they have a very good understanding of the setting's safeguarding procedures, including how to follow these to help protect children from harm.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use their good observations of children to plan interesting and challenging activities that encourage individual learning very well. For example, children thoroughly enjoyed searching for different objects hidden in the compost, and staff encouraged good discussions about what they found. For instance, children found acorns and staff helped them to identify which tree these came from. Staff linked this well to a favourite story about a squirrel, and children talked about squirrels and other animals that hibernate, demonstrating their good knowledge of the natural world. Staff encourage babies' and very young children's developing speech and language very well. For example, children thoroughly enjoyed singing songs together, and staff helped babies join in as they copied the actions and clapped to the rhythms together.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children show an understanding and respect for differences and diversity in people. For example, they are interested in each other's languages and enjoy sharing simple words and phrases. Staff provide a range of physical activities that encourage children to exercise regularly and be active. For example, babies and toddlers thoroughly enjoyed playing 'peek-a-boo' as they popped up from giant tyres and hid again. Older children confidently and safely use large apparatus, where they learn to effectively climb and balance. Children's safety awareness is good. For example, two-year-old children talked about why they must go slowly on the stairs and hold the bannister to keep safe.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children develop the skills they need to prepare them well for the next stage in their learning. Children have regular opportunities to work specifically with staff to develop aspects of learning to prepare them further for school. For example, they learn about letters and the sounds they represent, and effectively listen and pay attention to others.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY454944 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 1063115 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 0 - 8 Total number of places 121 Number of children on roll 260 Name of registered person Chipmunks Day Nursery Ltd

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 April 2013 Telephone number 01305 760060

p.4

reference number

Chipmunks Day Nursery registered in 2012. It is situated in the Rodwell area of Weymouth, Dorset. The nursery operates each weekday from 7.45am to 6pm, for 51 weeks a year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 26 staff to work with children. Of these, the manager and two other staff hold relevant qualifications at level 4, 17 members of staff hold qualifications at level 3, and one holds a qualification at level 2.

p.4

reference number

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.

p.4

reference number

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

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

p.5