Darlington College Childcare Centre

Darlington College Childcare Centre Central Park, Haughton Road, Darlington, County Durham DL1 1DR

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Inspection date 10 January 2019 Previous inspection date 8 July 2015

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

n The experienced managers and staff demonstrate a wonderful dedication to the families who attend the nursery and have extremely high expectations for all children. They fully understand, and superbly meet, the needs of the children and their families within their learning community. There is a concerted approach to actively address barriers to learning, ensuring first-class inclusion. n Managers place a high priority on providing high-quality teaching. The well-qualified staff work tirelessly as a team to collect and record detailed information about each child's learning and development. They use this exceedingly well to help skilfully adapt learning to follow children's interests. n Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. Parents speak very highly of the progress their children make at the nursery, particularly in their confidence and speech. Staff strongly encourage parents to support children's learning at home. This promotes

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This provision is outstanding

children's development through a consistent and shared approach. n Staff swiftly identify children at risk of falling behind. They work extremely effectively with other professionals and take prompt action to help close any gaps in their learning. As a result, all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress. n Key persons know the children in their care exceptionally well. Children develop very secure attachments with staff. They happily take the lead in their play and thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. Children's behaviour is exemplary. n The staff team ensures that the move for each child between rooms within the setting or on to the next learning environment, such as school, is seamless. This support is highly effective in helping to promote children's positive emotional development.

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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 continue to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff to an even higher level, to maintain and enrich the quality of children's experiences in response to their clearly identified needs.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector completed a tour of the nursery and the outdoor play areas. n The inspector spoke to staff and children, at appropriate times, throughout the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the deputy manager. n The inspector looked at documentation, including evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector took into account the views of parents, spoken to on the day and in written feedback.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a robust understanding of procedures to follow should they identify a child protection concern. Rigorous recruitment and support procedures are in place which helps to ensure that staff are suitable. The management team nurture staff, providing inspiring leadership. Their approach to self-reflection is meticulous, leading to the timely implementation of action plans. Managers use their observations and ongoing interactions with staff to clearly identify their support and training needs. Staff apply their new knowledge and skills impressively, for example, by introducing a wealth of resources that encourage children to explore and investigate using all of their senses. They plan to continue this approach to professional development, to help maintain and extend even further the high quality of experiences and outcomes for children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff work incredibly closely together. They strongly motivate children across the age ranges, providing a rich and vibrant learning environment. Older children eagerly practise their mark-making skills and delight in using their imaginations as they draw maps to help pirates find treasure. They relish dressing up and searching for 'jewels' in the exciting outdoor play area. Staff share their great love of books and engage children frequently in storytelling. They expertly use questioning to encourage children to think creatively and solve problems for themselves. Babies communicate delightfully with sounds and facial expressions. They respond very happily to staff, who playfully repeat back the sounds that they make.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

There is an extremely comprehensive two-way exchange of information between parents and staff from the start. Parents highly value 'learning together' sessions and taking resources home, such as the lyrics for songs and ideas for fun activities. Children regularly take part in outings to their local community, including a care home, supermarkets and parks. They enjoy visits, for instance, from librarians, firefighters and police which help them to understand more about the wider world. The caring staff provide a wealth of praise which supports children's strong sense of belonging. Children benefit from very appetizing and nutritious snacks and meals, daily fresh air and exercise and excellent hygiene routines. They practise their marvellous independence skills, for example, babies help to wipe their own hands and faces and learn to drink from cups. Older children relish the responsibility for meaningful tasks, such as visiting each play

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

room to collect numbers attending for lunch on a clipboard.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children, including those who receive additional funding, excel in their learning. They acquire a superb range of skills in preparation for their future learning, including the eventual move to school. Children are highly sociable and cooperate impressively in their play. Older children count and use numbers frequently in their play. Babies quickly develop the skills to move around and explore independently. Children show great curiosity and have a wonderful approach to learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY338310 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 10062416 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 53 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Darlington College

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 July 2015 Telephone number 01325 503144

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reference number

Darlington College Childcare Centre registered in 2006. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. All of these hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, one member of the management team has early years teacher status and another early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 5.30pm. 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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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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