Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Lansdown

Inspection of Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Lansdown 1 Queens Road, Cheltenham GL50 2LR

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children benefit from plenty of space to explore, learn and play indoors and outdoors. Despite restrictions to parents, visitors and others coming into the setting due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, new parents and children visit outside of the core opening hours to enable their children to look round and become familiar with the nursery when other children are not present. This greatly helps children make the transition into a new nursery. Pre-school children and toddlers have fun in their new 'secret garden' and natural play area. Toddlers share hoops and tyres to make an obstacle course. They proudly show how they can balance and walk across it. Pre-school children enthusiastically engage in a re- enactment of a favourite story. They pretend to squelch through mud, negotiate the wooden bridge, walk through the 'forest' to find the bear in his 'cave'. Babies listen attentively and join in with words and sounds as staff animatedly read them

p.2

need to do better?

n Children have fun as they play and learn. Pre-school children take turns filling containers with sand and count how many spoonfuls they need to fill them. Outdoors, they collect worms and insects, recalling that a millipede has 28 legs and curls up so other animals cannot eat it. Toddlers explore new colours as they mix paints, noting that yellow and blue make green. However, staff sometimes do not recognise when children need help to join in with the different activities. n Partnership with parents is exceptional. Parents comment positively on the way the setting has supported them and their children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have uploaded videos with suggestions for activities, shared photographs of what children are learning in the setting and kept parents informed about changes superbly. n The manager has good systems for recruiting staff. She encourages them to gain nationally recognised qualifications and update their skills, to improve the

p.2

need to do better?

quality of teaching and enhance children's learning. However, staff are not always deployed effectively to maintain children's safety and well-being, especially in the event of an emergency. n Staff observe and monitor the children well. They use what they know about the children to plan the next steps in children's development. For example, they work with parents to help children with potty training and provide additional teaching to encourage children to expand their vocabulary. Children develop knowledge and make good progress to support their ongoing learning. n Children benefit from additional activities that help them learn about other cultures and support their well-being. Staff use their skills and knowledge to encourage children's communication. They use signs as well as words to

p.2

need to do better?

25 May 2021 encourage babies to interact with each other. Pre-school children have fun joining in with sessions in different languages, learning simple words and phrases. Staff also provide yoga sessions for children. Children gain physical skills in balancing and learn how to relax and calm down. Children gain control over their emotions and their behaviour is good. n Children are encouraged to think about others, share and take turns. Staff working with the babies remind them to take care when pushing the cars off the track in case they hurt their friends. Pre-school children show good self- regulation when playing together. For example, when sand gets thrown over them, they remind others to be careful, using words rather than actions. Staff praise toddlers as they share the paint and toy vehicles, and help pour out more paint from bottles.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The manager makes sure that all staff are up to date with their safeguarding training, including any new protocols or changes that have occurred. Staff have a good understanding of what to do when or if they need to refer concerns about the welfare of a child. Staff have put in additional hygiene measures as a result of guidance issued due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, children know that they need to wash hands when they arrive at the setting in the morning and after playing outdoors, to prevent the spread of infections.

p.3

should:

n ensure deployment of staff supports children's needs and keeps them safe, including in the event of an emergency n make sure staff understand when to step in to support children to join in with activities.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY553141 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10195252 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 93 Number of children on roll 132 Name of registered person Dean Close Nurseries Limited

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01242 241349 Date of previous inspection 14 August 2018

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery Lansdown (formerly Treetops (dcnl) Cheltenham) registered in 2017. It is situated in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It operates 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The nursery employs 35 members of staff, of whom four have relevant childcare qualifications at level 6, early years teacher, early years professional status and qualified teacher status; one member of staff has a relevant childcare qualification at level 5 and 14 other staff have relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 and level 2. The nursery is in receipt of early education government funding for two-, three- and four- year olds.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to look at how staff plan the curriculum to meet children's needs and development. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager in pre-school and toddler room to review the quality of teaching. n Parents spoke to the inspector and shared online views about the nursery, including the support from staff and manager for how they can help their children continue learning at home. n Children talked with the inspector about what was good about their nursery and what they enjoyed doing.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

25 May 2021 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6