Little Crickets

Inspection of Little Crickets 185b Park Road, London N8 8JJ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children are warmly welcomed by staff each morning. They separate easily from parents and quickly engage in activities at this friendly nursery. Staff know their assigned key children well and build close relationships with their families. Children are well supported as they transition to other rooms and staff are sensitive to their emotional needs.

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The provision is good

Children are keen to join in with the wide variety of activities on offer. For instance, babies freely explore large boxes. They crawl through them, enjoy the sensory experience of paper hanging from the sides and giggle with joy when they meet a friend in the middle. Children are busy and animated and show that they feel safe and secure as they happily explore their environment.

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The provision is good

The manager and her team have worked hard to raise the quality of teaching to a higher level. They have improved their planning, staff supervision and training, as well as building on communication with parents. They are ambitious for both the children and staff. This has led to a rise in the quality of staff's interactions with children. However, these changes are still in the early stages. Sometimes, staff lack confidence to extend children's learning further by building challenge into activities and using questioning more effectively.

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need to do better?

n The senior managers work well together to ensure the smooth running of the nursery. They have a clear vision for the nursery and have a good overview of the practice and curriculum. Since the last inspection, they have introduced a rigorous programme of improvement to help raise the standard of teaching to higher levels. They have ambitious plans for the future of the nursery. n Children benefit from meaningful learning experiences that are planned using their interests. For example, children in the nursery room learn about the role of the fire service, which is extended into learning about hazards and safety. n A focused review of planning has led to an improvement in the quality of activities, teaching and staff's interactions with children. The overall quality of teaching is good. However, staff sometimes miss opportunities to further build on children's development by incorporating challenge into activities and

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need to do better?

extending their learning further. n Effective partnerships with other professionals are improving staff's knowledge of how to support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Children are becoming independent learners. For instance, they are encouraged to make choices about their play and carry out small tasks in the rooms, such as setting the table for lunch.

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need to do better?

31 October 2019 n Children develop their physical skills and enjoy playing outdoors. They play on large play equipment, grow their own vegetables in the allotment garden and enjoy walks in the local woods. They enjoy eating healthy, home-cooked lunches and snacks. They develop a positive attitude to leading a healthy lifestyle. n Children's literacy skills are well supported. Babies listen intently as staff read stories to them, toddlers join in with songs they know and older children are learning about letters that are of significance to them. n Staff do not always use questioning as effectively as they could to develop children's language further. n Children learn to manage risks in their own play and confidently use tools for a purpose. This is demonstrated as they use toy hammers and nails and help to operate a leaf blower to experience wind. Young children develop their manipulative skills, for example, as they roll and cut dough.

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need to do better?

n Children are well behaved. They play cooperatively together and are building strong friendships, which will support them well in the next stage of their learning. Staff support children to understand about the importance of sharing and turn taking. n Children are provided with ample opportunities to learn about people who are different from themselves. This helps to build respect and tolerance for others. They enjoy learning about a wide range of festivals. For example, children excitedly talk about their Halloween costumes and recent Diwali celebrations. n Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment on how friendly and welcoming staff are and how they are kept well informed about their children's progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have undertaken appropriate safeguarding training and managers regularly refresh staff's knowledge with spot checks. They demonstrate a secure knowledge of how to recognise concerns they may have about children. They are able to describe the procedures for managing any child protection concerns, including working with relevant professionals to keep children safe. There are safer recruitment procedures in place. Leaders describe the continuous ways in which they ensure staff are suitable to work with children at the nursery.

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should:

n develop opportunities for children to enjoy increased levels of challenge to extend their thinking and problem-solving skills n help staff to build on their questioning techniques with children to further extend children's vocabulary.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY547649 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 10099109 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 5 Total number of places 61 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Play On Kids Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 883 1394 Date of previous inspection 14 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Crickets registered in 2017 and is located in Crouch End, in the London Borough of Haringey. The setting opens each weekday from 8am to 6pm all year round. It is in receipt of funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 15 members of staff, of whom 13 hold early years qualifications from level 2 to level 6.

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Inspection activities

n A learning walk and tour of the premises were completed with the manager and her deputy. n The inspector observed staff's interactions as children played throughout the nursery and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n A joint observation was completed with the manager and the quality of teaching was discussed. n The inspector spoke to parents and grandparents on the day of the inspection and took their views into consideration. n The inspector held discussions with leaders, managers, staff and children at convenient times during the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

31 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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