Little Dolphins Day Nursery

Little Dolphins Day Nursery 56 Lessness Avenue, BEXLEYHEATH, Kent DA7 5SJ

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Inspection date 4 January 2019 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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This provision is good

n Members of the management team are ambitious and have high expectations for all children. They are enthusiastic, inspiring and lead a committed staff team. They drive improvement forward to increase outcomes for children. n The nursery is well organised and staff provide a well-resourced and welcoming environment. Children make independent choices and decisions with confidence. n The key-person system works well and children develop secure relationships with staff. They settle quickly and develop a sense of belonging, which supports their self-esteem effectively. n Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. They use this, alongside their good knowledge of the children, to plan challenging and interesting activities. Staff regularly observe children as they play, clearly identifying their next steps and tracking their progress. Children make good progress in their learning. n Staff use a range of good-quality questions to help children think and learn. Staff listen

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This provision is good

well and model language which supports children's communication skills. n Parents speak positively about the care and learning their children receive. Staff provide them with daily updates and regular feedback on how well their children are progressing. On occasions, the partnership working is not effective in further supporting a shared care approach to children's learning and development and in continuing to enhance learning at home.

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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 explore and develop additional ways of including parents further, to build on and promote continuity in order to support their children's learning and development.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views and written comments. n The inspector checked staff suitability and qualifications, and held discussions with the manager and deputy manager. n The inspector sampled documentation, including children's online learning journals, tracking, policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The manager and safeguarding leads are competent in ensuring that staff stay updated and knowledgeable about child protection procedures. Staff can demonstrate that they are confident to report any concerns regarding a child's welfare. The management team continually monitors and evaluates to make sure ongoing improvements provide good outcomes for children. For example, they use peer-on-peer observations and spot checks to quickly identify any gaps and ensure staff implement positive changes across the curriculum areas. The manager has addressed previous actions and made changes to policies and procedures. The manager has implemented these throughout the nursery to meet the requirements set at the last inspection.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Teaching across all age groups is consistently strong. Staff engage children in fun and exciting activities. For example, babies enjoy exploring textures with paint and foamy soap. They laugh as they blow scarves off their heads and play peek-a-boo. Toddlers learn about their feelings using dolls in the role-play area. Children extend their mathematical knowledge as they use shapes and colours to paint and stick. Staff introduce new concepts, such as counting and size, as children sort shapes and thread beads. Older children engage in discussions in the garden about holidays in different countries and weather during the different seasons. Staff extend children's knowledge about recycling as they hear a refuse lorry emptying the bins. Staff challenge children's thinking and encourage communication to share ideas on how to retrieve a ball if it gets stuck in the tree.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff work together to support children in learning new routines. Children make good attachments to their new key person when they move between rooms, which helps to build their confidence. Staff are positive role models. They show respect to children and support them to follow rules and boundaries. Children behave well. Staff give children regular praise and encourage good manners. Children eat nutritious snacks and meals, and staff promote healthy lifestyles. Children use the garden daily and have opportunities to develop good physical skills. Older children use the large climbing apparatus and skilfully throw bean bags at targets. Younger children use ride-on toys confidently and kick and chase balls.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are happy and keen learners. They develop confident social skills and play well together, and also develop good communication and language skills. This includes those children who are learning English as an additional language. Younger children enjoy sharing stories and singing songs. Older children learn to write their names. This helps them to gain skills for future learning and the subsequent move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY498121 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10079960 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 1 - 4 Total number of places 31 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Little Dolphins Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0208 312 1919

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reference number

Little Dolphins Day Nursery opened in 2013 and re-registered in 2015. It is situated in Bexleyheath, in the London Borough of Bexley. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7am to 6.30pm for 51 weeks of the year. It is in receipt of funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications at levels 2, 3 and 5.

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

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