Capers

Inspection of Capers Unit 19b, Sunrise Business Park, Blandford Forum DT11 8ST

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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 happy, settled and feel safe in the care of the dedicated staff team. They play in a nurturing environment, where they build positive relationships with the staff and one another.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for all children. Babies confidently explore the environment, taking part in a wide range of activities and learning experiences. They investigate the cornflour, using different resources such as straws, and enjoy the sensory experience of the mixture running through their fingers. Staff meet their care needs well. For example, the key person works successfully with parents to find out about babies' individual routines and follow these as closely as possible at the setting. This helps babies to feel secure and settle quickly. Younger children engage enthusiastically with staff. They use scissors skilfully to cut along lines drawn on paper. They thread beads, sort them by colour and count them into pots.

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The provision is good

Older children develop good independence skills as they dress for outside play, open packets and containers from their lunch box and choose which activities they wish to partake in. Children's behaviour is very good. They listen well to instructions from staff and enthusiastically help one another to tidy away toys and resources.

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need to do better?

n Staff get to know the children well. They liaise closely with parents to find out about children's interests and preferences. Staff make accurate assessments to find out what children already know and can do, and plan activities to develop their knowledge and skills further. For example, they use children's interests in superheroes to extend their creative skills in making masks and developing their imagination in role play. n Staff provide a wide range of resources and experiences which interest and motivate children to learn. However, occasionally, staff do not encourage younger children to try out their ideas fully to develop their child-initiated play further. n The manager and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to make improvements. They now have a robust system for risk assessing to ensure they identify hazards promptly and take appropriate action to reduce risks to children. n The manager and staff use reflection effectively to identify areas for

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need to do better?

improvement. They have reorganised the environment for the older children, introducing more natural resources and neutral tones throughout the nursery. As a result, children are more curious to explore and investigate, and concentrate for sustained periods at activities of their choice. n Older children enjoy listening to stories and sharing books with their friends.

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need to do better?

3 March 2020 However, younger children do not have access to a wide range of books and stories. The book areas are not very attractive or inviting and do not encourage a love of books to support children's early literacy skills. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents feel involved in their children's learning. The manager and staff share helpful information about children's learning and progress, and parents compliment the staff for their support. n Children share resources and take turns well. They understand the 'golden rules' and smile with pride when staff praise and encourage their good behaviour. Staff use strategies developed through training to manage children's behaviour consistently. Older children are thrilled when they can move their name card along the 'kindness runway' for sitting nicely on the rug to wait for group time to begin. Children learn a wide range of skills which prepare them well for school.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff develop good links with other settings and schools. Reception class teachers visit the children in the nursery environment, and staff from the nursery take the children on visits to their chosen school. Partnership working with external agencies and other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, is good. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have good opportunities to develop their communication skills. All children make good progress in their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good knowledge of child protection issues and understand their role and responsibilities in keeping children safe from harm. They know the reporting procedure to follow and have good knowledge of wider safeguarding issues. The manager follows robust recruitment procedures, to ensure that only those suitable to do so are able to work with children. She ensures ongoing suitability through providing regular coaching and observes staff's teaching. Staff encourage the children to think about their own safety. For example, giving them gentle reminders not to run inside and the reason why.

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should:

n create a more inviting book area for the younger children and provide a wider range of books and stories to encourage children's love of books and further support their literacy development n provide more opportunities for younger children to try out their ideas to develop their child-initiated play fully.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500175 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10100953 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

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inspection

Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Capers Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01258 456797 Date of previous inspection 7 March 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Capers registered in 2016. It operates from a business park in Blandford Forum, Dorset. Children have access to playrooms on two floors and an outdoor play area. They are open each weekday from 7.45am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The owner, who is also the manager of the setting, is a qualified teacher. She employs 12 members of staff to work with the children. Most staff hold childcare qualifications from level 2 to level 5.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector had a tour of the premises and talked to the manager about how the curriculum is implemented. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning. She carried out a joint observation with the manager. n Parents were spoken to on the day of the inspection and their views taken into account. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and sampled a range of documentation.

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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

3 March 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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