Ducklings Day Nursery

Ducklings Day Nursery Harmire Enterprise Park, BARNARD CASTLE, County Durham, DL12 8XT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 December 2016 25 September 2013

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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

 The quality of teaching is good. Staff have a good understanding of the areas of development and how children learn. They plan activities that appeal to children's interests and support their learning and development.  Staff closely check the progress made by children. They use their findings to focus their teaching on the needs of children in their care. This helps to ensure they make good progress in all areas of learning.  Children are enthusiastic to join in activities. They have plentiful opportunities to explore, investigate and they become engaged in their learning.  Staff offer children plenty of attention, praise and encouragement. Children demonstrate that they feel valued and develop high levels of self-esteem and pride in their achievements. This helps to support their emotional well-being effectively.  Managers and staff reflect on all areas of practice and seek the views of parents and

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This provision is good

children. They use their findings to devise action plans to build on all areas of the provision. This contributes to their good capacity for continuous improvement.  Parents praise staff for the high levels of support they offer. They are very happy with the standards of care and learning and would highly recommend the nursery to others.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, staff do not promote children's concentration, listening and attention skills to the highest levels.  Although the manager checks the progress children make, she has not yet fully considered the differences in progress made by different groups of children.

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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

 support children even more effectively to develop their concentration, listening and attention skills  strengthen monitoring of the progress made by different groups of children and focus planning more precisely to help them make the best possible 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 nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She also spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's action plans and evidence of the suitability checks carried out on staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Staff are well qualified. Arrangements for their support and supervision are effective and the manager supports them to continue with their professional development. This helps to build on the good quality of teaching. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a clear understanding of how to keep children safe and know what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare. Staff have established effective partnerships with parents, professionals and other settings that children attend. This helps to provide a consistent approach to children's care, learning and development and to support children when they move on to school or nursery. The manager works closely with staff to ensure that educational programmes are suitably challenging and promote children's progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff work with parents from the outset to learn what children already know and can do. This helps them to meet children's needs quickly and provide activities that help them to build on their current abilities. Staff play alongside children and interact with them skilfully. They use questions and prompts and repeat phrases back to children to help them to pronounce words correctly. This contributes to the good progress children make in their communication and language development. Staff support children to learn which equipment works best as they make dough. They discuss which ingredients are needed to get the dough to the right consistency. Children respond well. They try out their ideas and learn from their mistakes. This helps to promote their problem solving and thinking skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children arrive happily and confidently and demonstrate that they feel secure and safe in this nursery. They develop strong bonds with caring and sensitive staff who know their individual needs well. Staff make sure there are enough tools and equipment to allow all children to lead their own learning and complete tasks with minimal help. This contributes to the high levels of independence children demonstrate. Staff successfully promote children's physical well-being. They benefit from regular fresh air and a range of nutritious meals and snacks. Children learn about keeping themselves safe and healthy. For example, they talk about the importance of washing their hands before they eat. Staff model the use of good manners and respect for each other and children. Children learn to consider the needs and feelings of others and begin to develop friendships.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs, make good progress in their learning. Most are working within the range of development typical for their age. Funding is used very effectively to help those children who need extra support to catch up quickly in their learning. Children develop skills in literacy. For example, they become engrossed during stories and singing activities. They enjoy recalling familiar parts of a story and guessing what will happen next. They develop their mathematical skills as staff weave numbers and counting into routines and activities. For example, children set out the correct number of plates and cutlery as they lay the table for lunch. These key skills prepare them well for later, more-formal learning when they move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY430844 Local authority Durham Inspection number 1065714 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 - 4 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Carol Elizabeth Butler and Neil Thomas Butler Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 September 2013 Telephone number 01833 690620

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reference number

Ducklings Day Nursery was registered in 2011. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year and is closed on bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery cares for children who have special educational needs.

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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.

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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.

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reference number

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

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