Kids 1st - Durham

Inspection of Kids 1st - Durham Old Dryburn Way, Durham DH1 5SE

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Staff have warm relationships with children and there is a lovely calm atmosphere in the nursery. Babies receive lots of reassuring words and cuddles from staff, which helps to give them a sense of security. Toddlers are very familiar with the routines. They understand what happens when it is lunchtime. Staff arrange mealtimes so that small groups of children have their meal together, while the rest carry on with their activities. This helps staff to focus on the small group of children and meet the individual needs of all children.

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The provision is good

Children learn to be independent from an early age. In the pre-school room, children show extremely high levels of concentration and enjoyment. For example, they are very motivated to explore different cereals. They practise skills, such as scooping, pouring the cereal into bowls, showing perseverance and transporting it around. If they spill the cereal, they are happy to sweep it up and then they start the process again. Children behave exceptionally well and staff are good role models. Throughout the nursery there are lots of discussions about sharing and children demonstrate high levels of consideration towards others. Overall, children develop good speaking and listening skills. Staff understand that singing familiar rhymes with children, using flash cards and giving an ongoing commentary help to promote children's language development. However, staff training in sign language has not been implemented quickly to help some children's communication.

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need to do better?

n The manager has high expectations for all children. Comprehensive self- evaluation, informed by staff and parents' views and children's progress, helps to identify weakness and areas for development. This leads to continuous improvement. Overall, staff benefit from a well-established programme of training and development. They are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their roles. However, the impact of training is not consistently evaluated. n Staff's knowledge and understanding of how children learn help to support children's good progress. Staff are very clear about activities being based on children's interests. Children become deeply involved in their learning. For example, pre-school children notice a rainbow when they are outside. When they come back inside they talk about the rainbow and discuss what craft materials they can use to make their own rainbow. Children suggest they can use glitter and demonstrate high levels of motivation as they sprinkle glitter onto

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need to do better?

their pictures. n Staff track children's progress and make plans for how they can support their learning. Any delays in children's development are quickly identified and staff work with parents to plan the best way forward. However, occasionally key persons are not kept fully informed of the professional help that can be offered

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need to do better?

8 October 2019 to children. n Staff across the nursery are particularly effective at developing children's literacy skills. Babies take part in mark-making activities with paint and they use chunky chalks and ball shape crayons to help their grasp. As children get older, they move on to using writing tools. In pre-school room, children learn the correct way to hold a pencil and take great delight in showing others when they are successful. n Parents are highly complimentary about the nursery. They appreciate the staff and how they work with them. They say that staff are very sensitive to their needs and fully support them if they have any personal issues. Parents receive regular updates on their child's day. They know the progress that their child is making and what they can do at home to support them. n Staff encourage children to develop an understanding of their local community. For example, children visit a local care home where they participate in a range of

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need to do better?

activities with the older people who are residents there. This has also helped children who are less confident to mix with others. n Children relish playing outdoors, where they have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. Babies have a veranda outside their rooms that they can move in and out of these when they want to. Older children use their imagination as they sit in crates and go on a pretend bus journey. Children clearly enjoy a parachute activity. They rush over and want to hold a strap. Staff are excellent at introducing counting at every opportunity. For example, children count how many times they tap the spade on the bucket of sand.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all staff undertake safeguarding training. Staff know the action they must take if they have concerns about a child. Additionally, staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a member of staff. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to make sure that staff are suitable to work with children and to check that existing staff remain so. Staff implement secure procedures to identify any hazards in the environment that they quickly address to minimise any risks to children.

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should:

n reflect more closely on the impact of training to help evaluate how this contributes to the continued quality of teaching to support children's learning n consider how information is shared with key staff to support children's individual needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY334642 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10117642 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 4 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 123 Name of registered person Kids First Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0191 3740802 Date of previous inspection 27 October 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Kids 1st – Durham registered in 2006. The nursery employs 26 members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. 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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Inspection activities

n The inspectors observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspectors had a tour of the nursery and spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspectors completed joint observations with the nursery manager. n One inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspectors spoke to a number of 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

8 October 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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