Play & Learn Nursery

Inspection of Play & Learn Nursery 2 Beverley Road, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire TS4 3LQ

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy to attend the nursery. Staff support them well when they arrive and they settle quickly into the wide range of experiences provided for them. Strong focus is placed on children obtaining the essential knowledge they need to prepare them for their future success. For instance, staff help children to grow vegetables, such as carrots, and take them to buy fresh produce at the local shops. Children share their experiences with their parents and carers when they are dropped off and collected. Staff recognise they could provide even more opportunities to involve parents in their children's learning, particularly at home.

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The provision is good

Staff are supported well by the newly appointed manager to implement a well- designed curriculum. This ensures that most activities provided are age appropriate and provide children with a good level of challenge. The manager has recently increased her monitoring of teaching and is aware of where some improvements are required, especially for the two-year-old children. Children behave well throughout the day. Staff provide consistent messages to them and talk about the age-related expectations in place. Children listen, respond appropriately to instructions and are beginning to develop good levels of self-control.

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need to do better?

n Staff support three- and four-year-old children extremely well to engage in imaginative role play. They create imaginary situations, such as camping overnight in a tent before going to the beach the following day. Children are highly motivated to take part. They gather excitedly in the tent to hear a story at 'bedtime' and join in with their favourite phrases in the book. Behaviour is very good. Children show high levels of respect for each other as they sit on the pretend bus to take them to the beach. n Staff provide a range of activities for two-year-old children to explore outdoors. Children use and move equipment, such as wooden planks and milk crates to make obstacle courses. They use large, chunky chalks to make marks on the ground. However, staff do not always have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn indoors. Some activities do not always build upon what children already know and can do.

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need to do better?

n Staff gather good-quality information from parents when children first start attending, which helps to promote children's good progress from the outset. Parents say their children come on in 'leaps and bounds'. They find staff are 'always flexible, helpful, patient and understanding'. Some opportunities, such as a take-home bear, are provided to help the parents of older children to support their learning at home. The manager and staff team have plans to reintroduce initiatives, such as a book-sharing scheme throughout the nursery. However, this has not yet been implemented.

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need to do better?

10 October 2019 n All children enjoy activities outdoors to develop their physical skills. They show good control and coordination when using bikes and other equipment. Children cooperate well with each other and skilfully use their legs to move around. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff swiftly identify where children need additional help and implement appropriate activities that meet their needs. Partnerships with external professionals are strong and help to ensure children have full access to their entitlement to early education. n A well-established key-person system is in place and helps children to build strong relationships with staff. Children demonstrate they are happy and feel safe with staff when they accept help and support as they play. n Children's independence skills are supported well. Staff help children to develop skills such as using the potty when they are developmentally ready for this

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need to do better?

stage. n The newly appointed manager has a good understanding of how to develop the nursery further. She is working closely with the area manager to support the staff team and make improvements that aim to support children's learning to a higher level. Some staff have been in post for many years and feel well supported in their role.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a comprehensive understanding of child protection issues among the staff team. They know how to act and who to contact if they are concerned about the welfare of a child. The manager and her staff team implement effective policies and procedures to keep children safe. Risk assessments are reviewed following any event or incident to prevent a possible reoccurrence. All staff have up-to-date paediatric first-aid qualifications and know how to respond if a child sustains an injury while in their care.

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should:

n strengthen staff's understanding of what they want two-year-old children to learn and provide even more activities indoors that support their learning to a higher level n help parents to extend and enhance their child's learning at home to strengthen partnerships even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2528659 Local authority Middlesbrough Inspection number 10126329 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 1 to 10 Total number of places 57 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Montessori Pre-Schools Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01642852626 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Play and Learn Nursery registered in 2019. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. 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 took part in a learning walk with the nursery manager. 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 with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and area manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to parents and carers 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

10 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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