Unicorn Nursery Maesbury

Unicorn Nursery Maesbury Unicorn Nursery, Main Road, Maesbury Marsh, Shropshire SY10 8HD

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Inspection date 14 August 2019 Previous inspection date 14 February 2019

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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 Since the last inspection, the provider has made rigorous improvements. The appointment of a well-qualified and experienced manager has strengthened the leadership team. Leaders have used internal and external professional development opportunities to improve staff's knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. They have raised staff morale and they are committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children. n Indoor and outdoor areas are safe and well thought out. The attractive and well- resourced environment successfully supports all aspects of children's learning and development. Very young babies are cared for in visually stimulating and intimate surroundings conducive to their needs. Older babies, toddlers and pre-school children have access to cosy areas, a sensory room and a forest school. n All children are looked after by caring and experienced staff who have a high regard for making children feel safe and emotionally secure. Staff talk to children in a kind and

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This provision is good

courteous manner. As a result, new children settle easily and all children quickly develop a sense of belonging, are content and ready to learn. n Parents say they are 'over the moon' with the nursery and that in addition to the online information they receive regarding their child's progress, staff always take time to tell them about how their child has been during the day. n The quality of teaching is good. The members of the management team observe the quality of teaching. However, they recognise that systems in place have not yet embedded to raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level. n Overall, staff capture children's attention and engage them well. For example, during circle time, staff use sign language when they sing and they hold labelled pictures when they talk about the weather. This supports children's understanding, maintains their interest and helps them to communicate. However, children are not always

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This provision is good

purposefully engaged during other group times in the toddler room.

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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 review the organisation of group activities, particularly for toddlers, to help promote higher levels of engagement n further embed the systems to monitor the quality of teaching in order to raise teaching to a higher level so that children make rapid progress in their learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching practices during activities indoors and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the managers, staff, children and parents. n The inspector completed a joint observation of a planned routine with the managers of the nursery. n The inspector looked at documentation, including the safeguarding policy and procedures and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All managers and staff have undertaken relevant training to improve their knowledge of child abuse, including radicalisation. They know how to deal with different types of concerns and they have a very clear understanding of the reporting procedures. Staff use risk assessment procedures to keep children safe, particularly in the forest school. Staff recruitment and induction procedures are robust. A recent change means new staff do not start at the nursery until their Disclosure and Barring Service check is in place. Staff work closely with other professionals, such as local schools, speech, language and inclusion services. Staff swiftly identify any gaps in children's learning and development and seek the views of parents to provide targeted intervention and support. This ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan activities for children based on their observations of what children like and the individual next steps in their learning. All children have fun, and are keen to explore and 'have a go' because they make independent choices in their play. For example, babies choose to feel the texture of sand or explore the contents of baskets which contain bunches of metal keys, pine cones and shiny balls. Toddlers choose to make dough at the 'play dough station' using flour, water, salt and food colouring or they choose to make a coloured liquid 'potion'. Pre-school children choose to role play using telephones and booking forms when they pretend to be a travel agent or they create a picture of a fish using sparkly, coloured sand and rice.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children's healthy lifestyles are well considered. Babies and children have daily exercise and fresh air. They explore the forest school with delight, where they learn to manage risk and know that it is acceptable to get dirty. They learn about nature through hands- on experiences. For example, while in the mud kitchen, they make salad by picking blooms from a overhanging buddeliah bush which they say also attracts butterflies. Children hunt for minibeasts, such as woodlice and beetles. Children have easy access to water stations where they help themselves to fresh drinking water. The cook provides a healthy range of nutritious cooked food, taking specific care to meet children's individual dietary requirements. Staff are very good role models and have clear rules to manage children's behaviour effectively. Children are well behaved.

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Outcomes for children are good

Overall, children are becoming successful learners. They learn different skills which prepare them for the next stage in their learning, including their move to school. Babies develop physically as they confidently manoeuvre themselves between rooms. Toddlers develop independence skills when they serve their own lunch and use a knife and fork. Pre-school children use complex sentences and are sociably confident to show visitors around the forest school. Children talk imaginatively about the fairy garden and how they ride a wild horse. They learn how to handle real tools when they slice leeks and carrots with wooden knives. Children can count and recall stories. They learn to read.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY556966 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10099164 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 58 Number of children on roll 75 Name of registered person Sandwell Supply Nursery Services Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 14 February 2019 Telephone number 01691 655550

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reference number

Unicorn Nursery Maesbury registered in 2018. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one holds early years teacher status, seven hold early years qualifications at level 3 and two hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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