Little Learners Childcare

Little Learners Childcare Sunnyside House, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 May 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

 Children thrive in a vibrant environment, indoors and outdoors. The staff effectively use the 'outdoor classroom' to provide many opportunities for children to develop a superb knowledge of the natural environment and to create on a large scale. For example, children help to build a pretend fire station using crates, logs and material.  The manager and staff effectively use their monitoring of progress for individual children and for groups of learners to identify and address weaker areas of development. All children make good progress relative to their starting points.  Children and babies are happy and settled as they develop very warm and trusting relationships with their key person and other nursery staff. This effectively supports their emotional well-being.  The managers and staff make safeguarding children a high priority. This includes effective partnership working with other professionals and high levels of vigilance

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This provision is good

around possible signs that would give rise to any child protection concerns.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always recognise when to offer a little more encouragement for quieter children to extend their learning and interest during some group activities.  Staff working with the younger children do not always give them the time they need to respond to questions and suggestions to enhance their communication and thinking 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

 review and improve the organisation of group activities to fully involve all children  offer further support for staff working with the younger children to recognise when to allow children more time to respond to adult interactions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and staff interaction with children, and viewed the toys, resources and equipment.  The inspector held discussions with the owner, managers, staff and children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector checked evidence of safeguarding practices, recruitment, staff training and professional development, and the evaluation process. The inspector looked at children's records, and discussed how staff assess children's progress.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Managers and staff have a good understanding of how to protect children and know the procedures to follow should they have any child protection concerns. Managers regularly monitors staff practice to help ensure teaching is good and assessment of children is accurate. Overall, staff receive effective support to improve, such as through regular supervision and training. For example, after supervision, staff considered more effectively how individual children prefer to learn. The managers use the views of parents and monitoring of the children's progress to help identify how to strengthen outcomes for children. For example, staff have improved how they manage behaviour through a range of measures. Parents speak very positively about the nursery. Staff use their links with other settings children attend to help provide good continuity.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff sensitively use children's choices of activities to effectively provide challenge. They make accurate assessments of children's learning and plan their next steps, considering their interests and developmental stage. They keep parents informed about their children's progress and help them to support learning at home. Staff encourage pre-school children to practise their early literacy and mathematics skills well. For example, children receive encouragement to learn the sounds and letters in their name. Staff help children develop their understanding in many ways. For example, they encourage those who speak English as an additional language to use their home language as they play. Babies and toddlers have many opportunities to learn through their senses. The managers use additional funding effectively to meet children's individual learning needs.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children receive effective support for their emotional and physical well-being. Staff help children to behave well. For example, they sensitively use a puppet to help children identify and manage their feelings. They support children's independence well. For example, they provide lots of opportunities for children to manage their own needs, including dressing in their outdoor clothes and serving their own food at mealtimes. They learn to respect different cultures and backgrounds. Children develop good social skills.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop key skills for their future learning and eventual move to school. Babies enjoy exploring different textures, such as investigating baskets containing rough and smooth materials. Toddlers learn to navigate the open space outdoors. Children persevere in solving their own problems. For example, toddlers persist as they balance balls made of dough on sticks.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY488578 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 1052805 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 102 Number of children on roll 153 Name of registered person Little Learners Childcare LLP

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 May 2016 Telephone number 01604 604991

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reference number

Little Learners Childcare registered in 2015. The nursery employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, 25 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 6, including one member of staff with early years professional status and one member of staff with early years teacher status. The nursery follows the Reggio Emilia principles. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery is open daily all year, excluding a week at Christmas, from 7am to 6.30pm.

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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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