Little Explorers

Little Explorers Future House, 25 Pomona Street, LIVERPOOL, L3 5TL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 April 2017 4 May 2016

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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

 Good progress has been made since the last inspection. Led by a new manager, the staff team demonstrate a commitment to improving the service they provide for children. Effective partnership working with the local authority to review practice means that a well-chosen plan for improvement has been successfully implemented. Children receive consistently good quality care and leaning.  The playrooms and garden are thoughtfully organised and provide children with rich and fun learning experiences. Good relationships between the staff and children have been established so that children feel emotionally safe and secure. They are confident to explore and demonstrate their ability to tackle problem solving as they play.  Parents are very pleased with the service they receive. They comment that staff are very welcoming and inclusive, and help their children settle and feel at ease when they first start.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 While arrangements for the professional development of staff are in place, they are still relatively new and require further time to help develop the quality of teaching to the highest level.  During some group activities, the needs of younger children are not always organised to best effect to help each child remain engaged and fully involved.

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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

 strengthen the recently implemented systems for the supervision and monitoring of performance to provide staff with precise information to help them improve their individual teaching skills  provide activities that are more sharply focused on the differing needs of the group to help children stay engaged and provide greater challenge and interest for each child.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed activities throughout the three playrooms and the outdoor play area. He observed teaching and interactions between staff and children.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. He spoke with members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector held meetings with the nominated person, the manager, deputy manager and a representative from the local authority. He also discussed self-evaluation arrangements and plans for future improvements.  The inspector looked at children's registration records. He checked the evidence of the qualifications and suitability of the staff working in the nursery and also looked at other documentation.  The inspector checked the arrangements for first-aid trained staff and their deployment.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The nursery is presented attractively. Information about the nursery and staff and children's activities are displayed throughout. Staff share information on a daily basis to keep parents aware of children's needs and experiences. Safeguarding is effective. The premises are clean, safe and secure. Staff demonstrate that they have a good understanding of policies for child protection and how to report any concerns they may have about a child's welfare. The programme for the support and monitoring of staff development is helping to steadily improve their teaching. The management team is regularly checking the accuracy of assessment for children's learning to identify improvements for individual and groups of children. There are effectively established systems for engaging other professionals in order to gain any additional support or equipment a child may need.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have a wide range of qualifications and experience, and their teaching is good. They undertake frequent observations and accurately assess and monitor children's progress. As children play, staff help them to build their skills. For example, toddlers and pre-school children are encouraged to count as they balance along a line of crates. Babies are fascinated as they watch a metal ball swirl around the edges of a metal tray. They eagerly clamber and crawl to reach and explore this shiny wonderment. Staff support children's language skills well, as they encourage older children to predict the next word in a story and babies babble and squeal to jingles and songs.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Equipment is reflective of the diversity of the children who attend and those in their wider communities. Bilingual staff and the engagement of parents ensures that children who speak dual languages feel safe and secure. Children's behaviour is good in most instances, although some activities are too long for toddlers. Nevertheless, staff provide children with a good role model to follow. Children learn to listen to each other and take turns. Daily routines help children learn how to lead healthy lifestyles. They enjoy a varied vegetarian menu and have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise to build their developing physical skills.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or a disabilities, are making good progress based on their individual starting points. Children are curious, eager to explore and present friendly attitudes towards each other. They initiate conversations and willingly join in together to paint, use early writing tools and count. Children demonstrate their willingness to do things for themselves and are developing key skills that prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY375074 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 1052783 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 - 10 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Aigburth Training Opportunities

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 May 2016 Telephone number 0151 708 7868

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reference number

Little Explorers was registered in 2008. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 2 to 7. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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