The Barn Childcare

Inspection of The Barn Childcare Elmwood Community Centre, 53 Darlington Road, Stockton On Tees TS18 5EP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children at The Barn Childcare clearly enjoy the time they spend there. They are happy and well-behaved learners who enjoy interacting with other children who attend. Staff place a high emphasis on supporting children to take safe, appropriate risks and there is clear progression for this through the nursery. For example, the childcare room for babies is set up to encourage them to pull themselves up onto different pieces of furniture and explore. Meanwhile, older children show great confidence and resilience when climbing rope ladders and trees.

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The provision is good

Overall, staff have a good understanding of the areas of learning and have high expectations for children's learning. However, they do not consistently demonstrate a deep enough understanding of the progressive stages children go through in order to promote their early writing skills to the highest level. Staff create an interesting and stimulating indoor learning environment which highly motivates children and meets their learning needs well, overall. For instance, babies and very young children explore objects such as teapots and sieves with their hands. Staff model words and name the objects children are holding, which supports their developing vocabulary very well. However, some experiences provided for older children outdoors do not consistently fully engage them and promote their learning to the highest level.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan a wide variety of stimulating experiences to encourage children to explore and develop the small muscles in their hands. For example, children in the toddler room use their hands to mix flour, water and salted caramel food essence to make their own play dough. However, some activities that are planned to encourage children to draw and make marks with pencils and crayons are not always appropriate for their stage of development. n Good arrangements are in place to assess where children are in their learning. Staff use this information well, overall, to plan exciting activities that help children develop the essential skills and knowledge they need for their future learning. However, there are times when staff plan less well for some learning experiences provided outdoors. This occasionally results in some older children lacking full engagement in activities. For example, limited resources are available

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need to do better?

for children to use the giant chalkboard in the garden area. n Children behave well. They listen and respond appropriately to instructions. Staff provide gentle and consistent reminders to children to keep them safe as they move around the nursery. This is evident when staff remind children to remain facing forwards as they walk downstairs. n Children are supported extremely well when they first start attending the nursery. Parents say that they visit the nursery with their children for as many

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need to do better?

12 September 2019 visits as required before their children have the confidence to stay on their own. Staff gather vital information from parents about children's emotional and physical needs to ensure a consistent approach. n Staff help children to become increasingly independent. Skills such as serving their own food and clearing away after meals are actively encouraged once children are able to do this themselves. Good hygiene, including effective handwashing before mealtimes, is promoted with children of all ages and helps to support children's physical health. n Relationships throughout the nursery are strong. An effective key-person system ensures that children have access to a constant member of staff. Key persons are sensitive to children's individual needs and plan well thought-out learning experiences covering most areas of children's learning well. n The manager is well supported by the provider and area manager to maintain a

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need to do better?

strong overview of the curriculum provided for children. They support the staff team well, overall, to develop their skills and knowledge of how young children learn and develop. There is a clear vision for the nursery and experiences such as yoga and use of a tent for mindfulness activities are planned. This aims to develop how children's mental health and well-being is promoted and supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff access regular training to ensure that they have the most up-to-date information about child protection. They recognise the signs or symptoms that may indicate possible harm to a child and know who to contact to share any concerns they may have. Staff know how to act should they be concerned about any inappropriate actions or behaviours of a colleague or if an allegation is made against them. The learning environment, indoors and outdoors, is assessed regularly for risks. This ensures that children play and learn safely, free from potential hazards.

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should:

n strengthen staff's understanding of the developmental stages children go through to develop skills, such as early writing, to plan more effectively for their learning n provide even more experiences that help fully engage older children who prefer to learn outdoors and promote their learning even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY494233 Local authority Stockton-on-Tees Inspection number 10123242 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 to 10 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 312 Name of registered person The Barn Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01642 587781 Date of previous inspection 8 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Barn Childcare registered in 2015. The nursery employs 24 members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or higher, including one member of staff with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a learning walk with the manager and area manager of the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team. She looked at relevant documentation and discussed improvement plans for the future development of the nursery. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

12 September 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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