Polka Day Care

Inspection of Polka Day Care Polka Road, Wells-Next-The Sea, Norfolk NR23 1JG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The quality of education for pre-school children is variable. Staff do not consistently provide children with enough challenge. Although children are happy and enjoy their play, some spend too much time watching during adult-led activities, rather than exploring and doing things for themselves. This means that pre-school children are not consistently acquiring skills to be ready for school. However, babies and toddlers benefit from a well-planned curriculum. Babies enjoy snuggling up in cosy areas to share favourite books. They regularly play outside where they explore and mix the mud and pine cones. Toddlers persevere as they collect and sort conkers, counting how many they have. They join in with songs and action rhymes, smiling as they listen to the words.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff work in partnership with parents. Parents appreciate the support that staff offer and say their children enjoy their time at the setting. Staff keep parents updated about their child's care and activities. However, sometimes, staff do not swiftly identify children that may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to help them get tailored support for their learning at an early stage.

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The provision requires improvement

Since the last inspection, some steps have been taken to address the weaknesses raised. However, staff changes have led to inconsistent performance management for staff. This means that staff have not benefited from effective support to raise the quality of teaching to a good level in the pre-school room. Staff check that the setting is safe and secure. They are caring and supervise children well at all times.

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need to do better?

n Staff have reviewed the way in which they plan for children's learning. This has been successful in the baby and toddler rooms, where staff place a high focus on what children are interested in and need to learn next. However, staff in the pre-school room are still new to this way of planning. Some staff are not fully aware of what children need to learn next and do not consistently encourage children to become independent. Pre-school children enjoy playing outside in the role-play kitchen and draw letters with chalks. However, they lose concentration during activities which are not specifically tailored to their needs. n Younger children benefit from a focus on learning new vocabulary. Staff working with babies ensure that they are able to listen to stories every day and are exposed to a range of books as they play. Toddlers enthusiastically join in with rhymes, playing along to the beat with their chosen instruments. They select

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need to do better?

their own paper and pens to create colourful pictures. n Children of all ages behave well and cooperate with the rules and expectations. They listen to staff and learn how to take appropriate risks during play. Children show kindness towards each other. They decide it would be a good idea to share

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need to do better?

21 October 2019 and work out their own ways of doing this. n Staff work with parents to help children settle in when they first start at the setting. Staff offer children shorter sessions until they get used to their new environment. n Staff say they enjoy their roles and are able to ask for help. They have some opportunities to share practice and ideas at staff meetings. However, changes to staff have resulted in supervision meetings not being carried out consistently. As a result, not all staff receive well-targeted coaching to enhance the quality of education to a consistently good level. Despite this, the current acting manager has responded well to the challenges of the role. She is able to evaluate the quality of teaching and identify areas to improve. n When new children start at the setting with SEND, staff work with parents to create tailored plans of support. However, when children who are already at the

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need to do better?

setting do not meet expected milestones, staff do not always intervene early enough to help them get the additional support they require. n Babies and toddlers are encouraged to develop independence and have a go. Toddlers enjoy trying to cut up their own plums and bananas during snack. They enjoy this and concentrate until they succeed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff attend training to help them identify children who may be vulnerable to abuse or neglect. They understand the relevant procedures to follow to report their concerns and seek advice. The acting manager has a secure knowledge of how to lead safeguarding in the setting. She works closely with parents and other agencies to discuss and promote children's welfare. The nominated individual has effective systems in place to manage the safe recruitment of staff.

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Due date

ensure that staff provide pre-school children with consistently well-planned, challenging learning opportunities that help them to become involved, interested and independent, in readiness for school 20/12/2019

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Due date

21 October 2019 improve arrangements for swiftly identifying those children who may have SEND, to help them get well-targeted support for their learning and development 20/12/2019

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Due date

provide staff with regular coaching to drive continuous improvement and raise the quality of education to a consistently good level. 20/12/2019

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY459269 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10099859 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 11 Total number of places 41 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person Polka Day Care Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01328711699 Date of previous inspection 1 March 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Polka Day Care registered in 2013. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The acting manager showed the inspector around the setting and talked about the learning experiences offered to children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the acting manager and discussed the quality of education. n The inspector held a meeting with the nominated individual and the acting manager. She talked to staff at appropriate times. n The inspector spoke to parents to obtain their views. She tracked the experiences of children of different ages. n The inspector looked at documentation, such as the safeguarding policy and evidence of the suitability checks for staff.

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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

21 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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