Ickle Pickles Nursery School

Ickle Pickles Nursery 1 School Mews, School Lane, Iwade, SITTINGBOURNE, Kent ME9 8UW

p.1

Inspection date 9 July 2019 Previous inspection date 2 December 2014

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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

p.1

This provision is good

n Staff establish positive relationships with children and get to know their personalities well. Children have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being. n Staff help to keep parents fully informed and involved in their children's learning. Staff share ideas with them to enjoy at home with their children. For example, they share mathematical game ideas, such as recognising numbers in walks in the environment. n The manager and staff evaluate their practice together effectively. They hold daily discussions to consider how well the day's activities motivated children to learn. They use their findings to make challenging targets and develop their practice. This helps to keep children engaged and supports them to make good progress in their learning. n All children behave well and they are polite. They know what is expected of them and confidently follow the rules. Even the youngest children sign 'please' and 'thank you'.

p.1

This provision is good

n Staff support children to prepare for their eventual move to school effectively. For example, older children count with confidence as they play and younger children enjoy listening to number songs. n Children have good opportunities to explore and investigate. Older children complete simple experiments, such as exploring the concept of sinking and floating. Younger children have access to a variety of natural and sensory play opportunities. n Staff do not consistently provide all children with enough time to think and then answer questions, to support them to develop their listening and speaking skills even further. n Staff do not provide enough opportunities to fully encourage children to understand the importance of following good health and hygiene routines.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

n provide children with more time to think and then respond to challenging questions, and ensure staff reinforce the correct pronunciation of words more consistently, to fully support children's communication and language skills even further n build on children's opportunities to develop greater understanding of the importance of being healthy and following consistently good hygiene routines.

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the staff interacting with children and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments. n The inspector looked at written documentation, including evidence of the suitability of all those working at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to the manager, children, parents and staff, and considered their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager ensures that she recruits staff who are safe and suitable to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. For example, she carries out all required suitability checks and ensures that she monitors their ongoing suitability in regular individual meetings. The manager closely monitors the consistency of care and teaching that staff provide for children. For instance, she observes staff teach children daily. She shares her findings with staff, who use the helpful advice to support their future performance. All staff are keen to develop their skills and knowledge even further. They attend a wide range of beneficial training. For example, they have learned about the different ways to interest children to explore using open-ended materials, such as building with planks of wood. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a good knowledge of the safeguarding procedures to follow to help protect children's safety and welfare. This

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

includes knowing who to contact to raise and follow up concerns. Staff ensure that they deploy themselves to meet ratios and supervise children effectively. They ensure that the environments are safe. For example, they complete thorough risk assessments that include all learning environments. The manager and staff closely monitor any accidents. They deal with them appropriately and ensure that they continue to minimise any potential hazards.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff closely monitor and track children's individual and group progress. This enables them to quickly identify any gaps in their development and provide good support to help children to close them promptly. Staff establish positive partnerships with staff at settings children also attend. For example, they regularly share children's achievements. This helps them provide children with a good, consistent approach to their shared care and learning experiences. Staff extend children's learning and build on their interests well. For example, children who talk about their holiday go on to learn about different types of holidays and build dens to experience 'camping'.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children develop good social skills and build meaningful friendships. For example, they happily play together and take turns and share resources maturely. Children have good opportunities to develop and challenge their physical skills. For example, they climb and balance on equipment, such as tyres of varying sizes. Babies explore different ways to move, such as when using tunnels to crawl. Children have good opportunities to understand other people's similarities and differences. For instance, they learn about other cultures, festivals and events, such as Eid and Diwali.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning and development. All children are independent to choose their own play and find their own belongings. Older children recognise letters and simple words. Younger children have a keen interest in books. All children are kind and caring and are excited to feed and care for the setting's guinea pigs, Flash and Fudge.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY319951 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10114354 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 61 Number of children on roll 91 Name of registered person Ickle Pickles Day Nursery Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 December 2014 Telephone number 01795 474551

p.4

reference number

Ickle Pickles Nursery registered in 2006. It is located in Sittingbourne, Kent. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 7.15am to 6.30pm, all year around. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs 25 members of staff, 21 of whom hold a relevant early years qualification at level 2 and above. This includes one member of staff who holds a qualification at level 6 and one member of staff who holds a qualification at level 7.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: www.ofsted.gov.uk/user .

p.5

reference number

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

p.5