Explorers Childcare Group

Explorers Childcare Group Swanage Youth And Community Centre, Chapel Lane, Swanage BH19 2PW

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Inspection date 7 February 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 Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Staff develop remarkable partnerships with parents. They work extremely well with parents to agree children's next steps in learning, which helps to support children's well-being and ongoing learning in the setting and at home. n Children form strong bonds with staff. Staff support children's move into the nursery extremely sensitively. This contributes significantly to providing security and stability for children and reassurance for parents. n Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They provide children with a good range of interesting and challenging activities that help children to enjoy their learning and achieve well. n The manager is ambitious about providing good-quality early years experiences for all children. She is reflective and includes staff, parents and children in the self-evaluation process. n Most staff successfully support children's learning. There are several strong role models

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This provision is good

within the staff team. They demonstrate good-quality teaching to others. As a result, teaching practice is improving, overall. However, some staff need additional support to recognise where and how they can improve to raise the overall quality of teaching practice across the nursery.

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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 help staff to recognise where and how they can improve to raise the overall quality of teaching practice across the nursery.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed children and staff, indoors and outdoors. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager, and spoke with staff and children. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection and reviewed parents' written comments. n The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including records of children's learning, safeguarding policies and including those related to the suitability of staff.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager deploys staff successfully to supervise children. She ensures that staff record any accidents to children appropriately and regularly risk assess the premises, minimising any risks identified. The manager closely monitors staff performance. Regular supervision meetings give staff the opportunity to discuss and reflect on their current roles and responsibilities. The manager offers training opportunities to extend their knowledge. For example, recent training has helped staff identify how they can support children's creativity and imaginations further. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection are highly complimentary about the nursery. They comment positively on the friendly staff and the progress their children are making. The manager monitors children's progress to ensure staff act quickly on any learning gaps.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make good assessments of children's skills and development. They use the evidence they collect, along with information about children's interests at home and in the present moment, to plan their next steps in learning. Staff support sensory learning particularly well and enthusiastically encourage children to explore items. For example, babies show delight as they put their hands in flour to mix in colours, while toddlers carefully unwrap parcels wrapped in foil. Staff encourage plenty of conversation with older children. For instance, they state that dolphins are mammals and they discuss the definition of a mammal. Staff work in close partnership with other professionals to support all children in their care and learning needs. This helps to contribute to the good progress children make.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Routines and care practice are very well established and consistently implemented throughout. Staff nurture children's independence and sense of responsibility superbly throughout the day. For example, older children confidently find their own coat and very willingly have a go at putting on their own boots before outdoor play. Toddlers serve themselves fruit at snack times. They happily sit in small groups at mealtimes with their friends and staff. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They work extremely well together, respecting each other and taking turns. The atmosphere is calm and nurturing throughout the nursery. Staff are extremely skilled in teaching children about diversity. Children thoroughly enjoy outings to the library and local museums to extend their understanding of the world. They participate enthusiastically in hygiene procedures, such as brushing their teeth. This helps them to understand the importance of personal care.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are motivated learners willing to try new activities with excitement and enthusiasm. Toddlers develop their dexterity as they fill pots with water. They show great interest in a tray of water, enjoying pouring it between different containers and over tree stumps. Older children happily engage in conversations with visitors. All children make good progress in relation to their starting points. They are developing the key skills they need to support their future learning, including moving on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY543323 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10090147 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 39 Number of children on roll 96 Name of registered person Explorers Childcare Group Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01929 426355

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reference number

Explorers Childcare Group registered in 2017. It is a privately owned nursery that operates from the Swanage Youth and Community Centre. The nursery and out-of-school club are open each weekday from 7.30am to 5.45pm for 50 weeks of the year. The owner is also the manager of the setting and she holds a degree in childcare. She employs 15 members of staff who work with children. Of these, one holds an early years qualification at level 6, one holds level 4, eight hold level 3 and five hold level 2. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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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