Tom Thumb Nursery

Tom Thumb Nursery 12 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3YA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 March 2017 18 February 2015

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The quality of staff interactions with children is variable. For example, staff do not always provide children with sufficient challenge or deploy themselves effectively to help children to consistently engage in meaningful play and learning.  The manager does not effectively monitor staff practice to identify all weaknesses and raise the quality of teaching and children's outcomes to a consistently good level.  The manager and staff have not effectively addressed previous recommendations. For example, sometimes staff still direct play for long periods of time and children do not have enough opportunity to make their own choices in play.  Self-evaluation is not used effectively to identify and address key areas to improve.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff are caring and build positive relationships with children. They get to know them well and children feel happy, settled and secure. For example, babies enjoy cuddles with staff, and older children proudly show staff what they make throughout the day.  Parent partnerships are effective. Staff regularly update parents on their children's learning and share their current next steps. Parents actively contribute their own observations of children's achievements from home.  The manager and staff monitor the development of individual and groups of children closely. They work with other professionals to offer further support where needed. For example, through small group work to support children's communication skills.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve the systems for monitoring staff practice to provide further support, coaching and training to staff to help raise the quality of teaching to a consistently strong level 28/05/2017

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Due Date

 improve the arrangements for staff deployment, and the quality of staff interactions with children, to ensure children are consistently engaged and challenged in their learning and make the best progress. 28/05/2017

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 improve the organisation of daily routines and give children more time to choose their own play to help them engage more in their learning  make effective use of self-evaluation to identify weaknesses in staff practice and children's experiences and help make further improvements to children's outcomes.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching practices and the impact these had on children's learning.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff, children and parents.  The inspector read some of the setting's documentation, including the safeguarding policy and procedures.  The inspector sampled children's development information and records.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and held discussions in relation to children's learning and progress.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a suitable understanding of child protection issues and know how to report any concerns about a child's welfare. The manager ensures all staff are suitable and thoroughly vetted. She offers support and coaching to staff, such as through individual supervision meetings and observations of their practice. However, she has not sufficiently identified and acted on the weaknesses in teaching and daily routines to help children fully engage in their learning. Although self-evaluation is not fully effective, the manager and staff have made some positive improvements to the provision. For example, they introduced a new online assessment system. This helps staff to check children's development closely and plan precise next steps in learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff plan effectively to support children's development needs. However, they do not consistently extend children's thinking and offer further challenge as children play. For example, staff miss opportunities to ask thought-provoking questions. At times, pre-school children do not have enough opportunities to explore their own ideas in play. Staff support children's early literacy skills well. For example, older children enjoy daily 'letters and sounds' sessions and younger children enjoy interactive story times. Staff encourage children to explore using their senses. For example, young children enjoy playing musical instruments and exploring rice; watching it fall through their fingers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children learn about the importance of exercise and a healthy diet. They have daily opportunities to explore and play in the well-resourced outdoor environment and take part in regular physical sessions, such as dancing and football. Children learn how to manage their emotions and how to socialise with other children. They make positive early friendships and happily share and take turns as they play. However, staff do not always create exciting learning environments for children to help consistently motivate and engage them in their learning. For example, at times babies have to wait for activities to be prepared and some learning opportunities for pre-school children are not inviting.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make suitable progress to prepare them for school. However, due to the variable quality of teaching and learning environments, children's learning is not consistently extended to help them make the best possible progress. Babies communicate well and learn new words as they play. They have secure physical skills and enjoy playing on seesaws and slides. Older children listen well to instructions and follow rules well, such as when playing hide and seek. They enjoy creative activities and pay attention to detail as they create collages.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY312715 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 1085836 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 56 Number of children on roll 128 Name of registered person Claire Louise Townsend

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 February 2015 Telephone number 01323 647630

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reference number

Tom Thumb Nursery registered in 2005. It is located in Eastbourne, East Sussex. The nursery is open between 7am and 7pm each weekday, all year. The setting employs 16 staff members, of whom one holds a relevant qualification at early years professional status, two at level 4, seven at level 3 and three at level 2. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four.

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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

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

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