Seashells Nursery

Sheerness Neighbourhood Nursery Sheerness Children & Families Centre, Seashells, Rose Street, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 1AW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 December 2016 25 April 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

 Children develop a good understanding of other people's similarities and differences. For instance, they visit international shops to buy food from around the world.  Staff keep parents fully involved in their children's learning. For example, parents learn new ideas to support home learning in specific workshops.  The manager and staff accurately monitor and track children's progress. This helps them to highlight any gaps in development promptly and ensure they provide support to close them. All children make good progress in their learning.  Older children gain skills to support their future learning. For example, they participate in well-managed challenging activities, such as cooking on campfires.  Staff encourage children of all ages to explore their physical abilities. For example, older children climb large equipment, and babies negotiate obstacles to help them explore different ways to move, such as crawling through tunnels.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, staff miss opportunities to fully engage all children in learning experiences during some daily routines.  Staff do not consistently ask children skilful questions that extend their communication and build on their problem-solving skills.

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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 organisation of some daily routines to fully engage all children in the learning experiences  build on the staff's use of questioning to extend children's communication and problem-solving skills further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff's interactions with children.  The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector looked at the written documentation, including a sample of policies and procedures, risk assessments and staff training records.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff, and took their views into consideration.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the nursery manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management team evaluates the nursery practice and monitors the quality of teaching well. For example, they carry out regular observations on staff practice and provide one-to-one advice and support. This helps staff to provide positive learning experiences for children. The managers encourage and motivate all staff to keep up to date with new ideas, and staff continuously develop their knowledge and skills. For instance, they attend training that builds on their qualifications and is beneficial to children's needs, such as extending their understanding of how young children develop. The managers use additional funding well to support children's individual learning needs. Staff form partnerships with other early years professionals, for example, they share children's achievements and help provide consistency in their learning. All staff have a good knowledge of the safeguarding procedures and know how to report concerns about

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

children's welfare. This helps children to remain safe. Safeguarding is effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children to manage the move to school well. For example, they invite teachers into the nursery, and children engage in activities that require skill, such as putting on ties and their 'uniform' in the role play areas. Staff skilfully build on children's spontaneous play and interests. For example, when children found a caterpillar in the garden, the staff encouraged them to keep it. Children learnt about how they develop and eagerly awaited the transformation into a butterfly. Staff linked this well to a much-loved story and this helps give children meaning to what they learn.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff know children well and this helps them settle happily. Children have a good sense of belonging and emotional well-being. They develop trusting relationships with staff. Staff are positive role models for children. Children are polite and behave well. For example, they share and take turns as they play together. Staff help children to learn what foods are good for them and to develop a positive understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, children explore real vegetables and fruits during role play. Children have good opportunities to meet their own personal care needs, such as knowing when they need to exercise and when they are tired and want to rest.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are well prepared for the next stage in their learning or for the move to school. They gain early mathematical skills. For example, they recognise numbers as they 'park' their numbered cars into the same numbered 'parking space'. Children learn good early writing skills. For example, they write their names and 'shopping lists' for when they visit the shops.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297098 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1061845 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 99 Number of children on roll 228 Name of registered person Children and Families Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 April 2013 Telephone number 01795 663311

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reference number

Sheerness Neighbourhood Nursery is run by Children and Families Limited. It registered in 2004 and operates from purpose-built rooms at the Children and Families Centre in Sheerness, Kent. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 28 staff; of these, 23 hold early years qualifications to level 3 or above and one member of staff has early years teacher status.

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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

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reference number

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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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