Little Firs Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Firs Day Nursery Conifers Primary School, Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 0QF

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children are very happy and settled. They feel secure and have made strong attachments to their key person and other staff. As a result, they are confident and independent learners. Babies delight in opportunities to be physically active. They climb steps on the slide and enjoy singing nursery rhymes and songs with staff as they enthusiastically join in with the actions. Toddlers explore their surroundings excitedly. They play extremely well with one another as they take on different roles in the role-play area. They confidently speak to visitors, using a wide vocabulary. Older children use tools skilfully to prepare fruit and vegetables to use in the pretend takeaway restaurant. Older children thoroughly enjoy woodwork. They learn the names of the different tools, such as a saw. They know they must wear safety glasses to protect their eyes as they learn about and manage the risks involved.

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The provision is good

Children develop good communication and language skills. They receive targeted support from staff, who have high expectations for all children, including those who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Leaders and staff know the children well. They use their good knowledge to plan a wide and challenging curriculum, which supports children to make good progress. Children behave extremely well. They play exceptionally well with one another, share resources and take turns. They have an excellent understanding of right and wrong.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have a clear vision for the future of the nursery and use self-evaluation very effectively to help them reflect on practice and identify areas for improvement. For example, staff have reorganised the playrooms to encourage children to make more independent choices and lead their own play. Children in the toddler room now have a larger area to develop their role-play ideas, which has encouraged their creativity and imagination successfully. n Staff have an extremely wide range of opportunities to attend training and develop their teaching skills further. Following training about story making, staff have provided older children with more opportunities to listen and retell stories, using pictures and story maps. This has helped children to begin to write their own stories and has extended their vocabulary as they learn and remember new words. n Children's behaviour is superb. They are extremely respectful of one another and

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need to do better?

kind. Younger children help one another to put on aprons before water play and older children talk to one another about sharing and being fair. Staff are excellent role models. They actively listen to children and consider their views. n Partnerships with parents are very strong. Staff work very well with parents to help them continue to support children's learning at home. For example, parents

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need to do better?

23 January 2020 have access to a range of learning tools and games on the nursery's website to support children's learning in all areas. To enhance partnerships further, children take home their key-person's named teddy with activities to further support home learning. n Staff working with babies attend to their care needs well. They find out about their home routines and follow these as closely as possible. This helps babies to feel safe and secure. They interact well with them as they explore the sand. They hold their hands and pretend to row a boat as they sing songs. However, staff do not always engage as effectively with the younger babies, to build on their early development and support them to meet their next steps in learning as well as they could. n Leaders and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities very effectively. The special educational needs coordinator is

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need to do better?

extremely proactive in accessing additional support for children when needed. She attends meetings and staff implement strategies to help children make good progress from their starting points. All children learn a wide range of skills which build on their independence and prepare them very successfully for the next stage in learning and school. n Children have daily opportunities to play outside and benefit from fresh air and exercise. They skilfully use climbing equipment, negotiate pathways when using ride-on toys and have many opportunities for sensory play with sand, water and other media. Staff leave the doors open so that all children can choose to play inside or outdoors, which particularly supports those children who learn better outside. However, as a result, the temperature in the baby room is sometimes very cool and children, particularly those who are not mobile, may become cold.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date through training. They are clear on their role and responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. They can recognise the signs and symptoms which may be a cause for concern and know what action to take. Thorough vetting and recruitment procedures help to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff carry out daily risk assessments and provide children with opportunities to understand how to keep themselves safe as they identify potential risks in the environment.

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should:

n improve staff's interactions with babies and younger children to engage them more effectively and meet their next steps in learning consistently

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should:

23 January 2020 n monitor more closely the temperature in the baby room to ensure that babies, particularly those who are not yet mobile, do not get cold.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 141017 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10062649 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 8 Total number of places 77 Number of children on roll 131 Name of registered person Little Firs Day Nursery Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01305 782727 Date of previous inspection 18 February 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Little Firs Day Nursery, previously known as Westhaven Pre-School, registered under its current name in 2009. The group operates from purpose-built premises situated in the grounds of Conifers Primary School, Weymouth. The nursery is open from 7.30am until 6pm on each weekday for 50 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 28 staff. The manager and deputy both have early years teacher status. All other members of staff are qualified to level 3 or above. There are two cooks employed.

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Inspection activities

n The manager showed the inspector around the nursery and explained how they deliver the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning. n A meeting was held with the leaders and the inspector. n The inspector spoke to parents and took their views into account. n A range of documentation was reviewed, including policies and staff qualification certificates.

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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

23 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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