Carousel Nursery School

Inspection of Carousel Nursery School 1 Westmoreland Close, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN38 9LF

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely well settled, confident and secure in this warm and nurturing nursery. Staff provide a rich, exciting and highly inviting environment that inspires children and ignites their imaginations. Children demonstrate an enthusiasm for learning. Older children eagerly agree a plan for the day with staff during morning circle time, setting their own goals and challenges. At the end of the day, they demonstrate their excellent language skills as they confidently recall what they have done and learned. Staff have very high expectations for all children. They build on what children already know and can do extremely well, offering them an excellent range of stimulating experiences. Children worked together exceptionally well as they used long wooden poles, tape and bricks to work out which materials are best for building houses. They became fully immersed in their learning as staff skilfully supported them to test out their ideas, investigate

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The provision is outstanding

Children are exceptionally kind, caring and considerate to their friends. Even younger children eagerly take responsibility for preparing snack for the group and sharing it out to make sure everyone has the same. When children struggle with their feelings, staff use highly effective individual strategies to support them and help them behave well. As a result, children who find larger-group activities challenging are able to participate confidently and share willingly with their friends.

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need to do better?

n Staff caring for younger children are extremely sensitive to their needs. They build caring, affectionate relationships with children. The superb key-person system means staff are familiar with every detail of children's routines, interests and needs. Staff have a highly flexible and responsive approach that builds children's confidence and self-esteem extremely effectively. For example, children are given as much time as they need to adjust when they move up to a room for older children. They can spend time in their previous room as often as they want to, until they feel ready to make a permanent change. n Children play outside enthusiastically in all weathers throughout the day. Staff are highly skilled and seize every opportunity that the outdoor environment offers to extend children's learning. When it rained, staff helped children who were busy in the construction area discover what happened when different

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need to do better?

building materials got wet. Children excitedly explained that sheets and paper get too soggy and fall down, so it is better to build houses with bricks. n There are excellent partnerships with parents. Staff continually develop new strategies for involving them in the nursery and ensuring they are fully engaged in their child's development. They keep parents extremely well informed and work with them very closely to extend children's learning, including offering

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need to do better?

14 January 2020 activity ideas, suggestion sheets and resources to use at home. n Children's understanding of different people and communities is developed very successfully throughout all areas of the curriculum. Staff very skilfully extended children's learning about how to build strong houses by talking about what houses are made of in other countries and why. Children were fascinated to find out that traditional houses in some countries were made of paper and wood to reduce damage if there was an earthquake. They demonstrated their excellent knowledge of the world as they explained that an earthquake 'makes the ground wobble'. n Additional funding is used especially well to make sure every child achieves their full potential. Staff provide highly individualised programmes to help children catch up in any areas where they need more support. Children who need it receive extensive additional support to build on their social skills, such as

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need to do better?

through small-group activities. This very successfully helps all children develop the confidence and skills they need for school. n The management team is highly motivated and driven to provide the highest quality care and learning for children. Managers monitor staff practice rigorously. They take swift and very effective action to address any areas they identify for improvement. Staff have opportunities for sharply focused professional development, aimed at enriching their knowledge and practice. For instance, staff received extensive training to help them make the very best use of creative opportunities and one staff member is now a qualified forest school leader. This helps children benefit from exceptional high-quality experiences.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety and well-being are given the highest priority. Staff supervise children highly effectively, making sure they are always well deployed in the indoor and outdoor play spaces. They check the environment extremely carefully each day to ensure children can play safely. They involve children in identifying hazards and discussing how to use equipment carefully, to help them develop an excellent understanding of how to stay safe. Staff are confident and knowledgeable about child protection issues. They have a thorough understanding of how to recognise and report any concerns about a child's welfare and take swift action where required. Managers follow robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable for their role.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 508960 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10139489 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 26 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person Carousel Nursery School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01424 854725 Date of previous inspection 21 February 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Carousel Nursery School registered in 1999. It is located in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. The nursery operates from 8am to 6pm each weekday for 51 weeks a year. There are 10 staff who work at the nursery. Of these, eight hold relevant childcare qualifications, including one with qualified teacher status. The nursery receives funding to provide early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The provider took the inspector on a learning walk around the nursery. She explained how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector observed children taking part in activities with staff in the indoor and outdoor play areas and assessed the impact on children's learning. n Discussions were held with staff, the manager and the provider at appropriate times throughout the day. n A joint observation was completed with the manager. n The inspector spoke to parents and read their written feedback to obtain their views of 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

14 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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