Bear's House, St Leonards

Bear's House, St Leonards 11 St. Matthews Gardens, St. Leonards-On-Sea TN38 0TS

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Inspection date 13 August 2018 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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The provision is good

n Children are confident, secure and settled. They form strong emotional bonds with their key person. n Staff know the children well and plan challenging activities that meet their needs. Children make good progress from their starting points in learning. n Staff skilfully build on all children's communication skills, including those who speak English as an additional language. n Children benefit from staff's increasing knowledge. For example, following recent completion of a baby project, all staff have enhanced their skills in interacting effectively with babies. n The manager and staff monitor all children's progress effectively. They successfully identify and narrow any emerging gaps in children's learning. The manager carefully evaluates staff's practice and teaching to help ensure all children are achieving as expected. n Strong partnerships with external agencies contribute to children's safety and welfare.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n Staff do not consistently make the most of all opportunities to help children develop a greater understanding of how to keep safe when taking manageable risks. n Staff do not make the best use of space available in the baby rooms to fully support privacy for babies and very young 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

n extend the range of opportunities to build on children's already good awareness of how to take and manage risks, particularly for those children who prefer to play and learn in the outdoor environment n improve the organisation of the baby areas to provide a greater level of privacy during personal care routines.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed children's activities indoors and in the outdoor area. n The inspector sampled children's learning records and other relevant documentation. n The inspector held meetings with the manager and the owner, and spoke with staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector took account of the views of parents from the setting's parent questionnaires, and written and verbal feedback.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Thorough recruitment procedures help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. All staff complete safeguarding training and understand their role and responsibility with regard to child protection concerns. All required records are well maintained and kept confidential. The manager has an effective process that helps ensure staffing ratios are met. She is establishing good systems that are helping build on staff's skills and professional development. For example, she has started to use formal observations of staff to help identify training needs and ways to increase their skills. Good partnerships with parents contribute to children's care and learning. For example, staff give parents ideas and resources to continue children's learning at home.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff competently observe and assess children's progress. They provide children with a wide variety of stimulating activities that extend their learning. Children have many opportunities to explore using their senses. Very young children thoroughly enjoy scooping and pouring dry sand. They use toy cars and their fingers to make tracks in the sand. Older children explore what they can do with paint. For example, they use toothbrushes to splatter paint and make marks. Staff interact well with children and build on their learning. For example, they ask questions and give suggestions, such as making letters using paint. Staff add words to build short sentences that children copy.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are good role models and are kind and caring. They create a welcoming and homely environment where children feel safe and at ease. Staff give good support to children and teach them how to manage their feelings in an acceptable way. Children behave well and play happily with others. Staff actively teach children about the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, they have been focusing well on dental hygiene and healthy foods. Children have a good understanding of how to stay healthy and they enjoy nutritious snacks and meals. They help to plant, grow and pick produce in the polytunnel and raised beds in the garden. Children show good levels of independence and manage their own care needs well. For example, at snack time, they cut up home-grown tomatoes and pour their own drinks.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are well prepared for a successful move on to school. They enjoy learning and join in readily with activities. Children of all ages show curiosity and like to investigate. Very young children and older children choose resources independently. They listen and concentrate well at activities. Very young children like to use chalks, for instance, to make marks on the ground outside. Older children show good imaginations, for example, when they pretend to feed a real carrot to a toy rabbit.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY535686 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10057115 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 0 - 7 Total number of places 41 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Early Beginnings Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07776 238775

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reference number

Bear's House, St Leonards registered in 2016. The setting employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, one member of staff has qualified teacher status, six have a relevant qualification at level 3 and one at level 2. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The setting 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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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.ofsted.gov.uk

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