Munchkins Nursery

Inspection of Munchkins Nursery Unit 1, Canal Court Business Centre, CARLISLE, Cumbria CA2 7AN

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

The manager and staff provide a calm and nurturing environment where children feel safe and secure. Children confidently enter the nursery and settle easily. Staff offer a warm and friendly welcome to children and their parents. They know the children well and provide for their individual needs. Information on progress is shared regularly. The nursery is particularly effective at supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those children in receipt of funding. Children develop strong bonds with key staff. They happily explore and investigate the wide range of resources that help to stimulate their interest and promote the development of their skills. Children's emotional well-being is promoted well. Staff engage in many positive interactions with children, who receive constant praise and encouragement. Staff model good relationships with each other, and children respond by using good manners. Children show care and

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The provision is good

respect for one another and learn to share and take turns. For example, older children invite their friends to join them on the computer and offer to help them. Overall, staff support children's communication, literacy and mathematical skills effectively. They model language well and teach children new vocabulary as they read stories, sing songs and take part in activities. For example, children learn to use number names and count while singing songs. Their understanding of language linked to weight and calculation is further promoted while transferring stones and shells between containers.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the manager has worked very hard to improve the quality of the provision. She has worked closely with the local authority to successfully address each weakness raised. Staff are well qualified and hold paediatric first-aid qualifications. They receive effective coaching and supervision to ensure they meet the requirements of their roles. Staff are supported to raise the quality of their teaching to the highest levels. The manager has a strong drive to continuously improve the provision. She has a secure knowledge of the staff's strengths and areas that they could improve on to sustain consistently good practice in the setting. Staff report that they access a good range of training opportunities. They are encouraged to use their new knowledge to develop their teaching skills. They incorporate their ideas into the environment, to support children's learning to an even higher level.

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need to do better?

n Children are active learners and play and explore with confidence. They enjoy the freedom to self-select resources from the wide range of activities on offer. All children make good progress from their starting points. Children are well behaved. They listen and follow instructions and are beginning to manage their own feelings and behaviour. n Staff work positively with parents and other professionals to support children

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need to do better?

7 January 2020 with SEND. They contribute to assessments and attend multi-agency meetings to help promote the best outcomes for children. n Staff provide a well-balanced curriculum based on what children already know, what they can do and what they need to learn next. Children make good progress, including those with SEND. Staff provide children with opportunities to mark make and to develop skills that support writing. For example, children access a range of tools that help to develop these skills. Babies enjoy making marks in flour, while older children practise letter formation while writing their names. Children develop their creative and imagination skills well. For instance, they explore a range of sensory resources and join in role play. Staff engage in conversation with children during activities. They extend children's vocabulary by introducing new words and explain processes. However, staff occasionally do not

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need to do better?

give children the time they need to respond to questions, to help them extend their thinking skills even further. n Parents are very complimentary about the nursery. They talk positively about their time at the setting and the help and advice they receive to access funding and extra support for their children. Parents say the staff are approachable and do their best for their children. They appreciate the links that staff have with the local school to enable a smooth transition process when children are ready to move on. Staff engage with parents daily to share children's experiences and progress. However, opportunities to further encourage parents to continue to enhance children's learning at home are not fully implemented.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. They have attended training to support them in recognising the possible signs and symptoms of abuse, and confidently describe the action they would take. This includes knowledge of wider safeguarding concerns, such as female genital mutilation and the 'Prevent' duty. Staff implement effective risk assessments that help to ensure children can play in a safe and secure environment. All the required checks are in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff deployment is managed well and supports children's safety effectively.

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should:

n provide children with the time that they need to think, respond and talk through their own thoughts, ideas and decisions n strengthen the already good partnership with parents and further encourage parents' involvement with their children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 317389 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10119043 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 to 5 Total number of places 71 Number of children on roll 75 Name of registered person Munchkins (Carlisle) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01228 592099 Date of previous inspection 24 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Munchkins Nursery registered in 1996 and is privately owned. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and two hold level 4. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7am until 6pm, all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector took part in a learning walk with the manager. She looked at how the curriculum is planned to meet the needs of the children attending. n The inspector spoke with children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector completed two joint observations with the manager. n A meeting was held with the manager. During this meeting, discussions were held about the development of the nursery. The inspector looked at a sample of documentation, including staff's suitability checks, assessments and documentation linked to checking children's progress. n The inspector took into account the views of parents.

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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

7 January 2020 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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