The Little Lane Nursery - Easton On The Hill

Inspection of The Little Lane Nursery - Easton On The Hill New Road, Easton on the Hill, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 3NN

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children thrive in this nurturing and welcoming environment. They show their delight at being in the nursery as they eagerly separate from parents and rush to be with their friends. Staff greet children with beaming smiles and a cheery welcome. This demonstrates children feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

The environment children play in is unique and awe-inspiring. They access a superb range of activities and resources, which they explore with curiosity and wonder, using all their senses. For example, babies explore different 'treasure' in the colours of red and white, to represent England in the Euro football tournament. Toddlers spend a long time experimenting with an eye-catching selection of space related items, such as 'moon rocks', glitter, mud, hammers and spoons. They use their fine motor skills to hammer the rocks and use spoons to dig in the mud to seek out aliens.

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The provision is good

Pre-school children relish the opportunity and freedom to develop their climbing and sliding skills in the mud in the forest school area. They have respect for each other and listen to adults. For example, they show a good understanding of how to follow the rules and cooperate with one another, such as when balancing on tree stumps.

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The provision is good

Children make good progress in their learning and development, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is because staff have high expectations of what they can achieve. One example of this is that children who have SEND are fully included in all curriculum activities.

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need to do better?

n The manager values the staff at the nursery and the important work they do with the children. She always considers staff well-being. Staff reflect this in the high praise they have for the manager and providers. They say the manager's door is always open, they know they can speak to them anytime. They also comment they cannot speak highly enough about the manager's and providers' support. n The well-qualified staff show a genuine enthusiasm and passion for their work with children. Overall, they support children's learning well. They make ongoing assessments of children's achievements and understand their developmental needs and interests. n Across the nursery, staff offer children activities that excite them and support deep involvement and concentration. Dough play is popular. Babies explore red and white dough with tools and toddlers investigate a plethora of herbs and mix them into dough. As a result, their curiosity is ignited, and they display high

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need to do better?

29 June 2021 levels of engagement. n Staff give children high levels of support in their emotional development. They build strong bonds with their key children. This is especially evident in the baby room, where babies snuggle into staff and run into their arms when they return to the room after a short period away. n Staff help children to develop an excellent awareness of their immediate community. For example, they make regular visits into the local village. Children and staff chat to residents, who greet them and ask after their welfare. This contributes to children's developing social skills. Furthermore, the staff take children on trips beyond the village on a mini-bus. This helps to broaden children's horizons even further afield. n Staff place a strong focus on developing children's communication and language. Consequently, children become skilful communicators. They engage in discussions and articulate their ideas and experiences in great detail, for

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need to do better?

example, children recall family holidays and talk about their time away. n Staff nurture children's independence skills from an early age. They encourage toddlers' belief in their own abilities, for example, staff provide reassurance to them as they attempt to put on their own shoes. Children respond with pleasure to the very genuine praise they receive when staff celebrate these achievements. n Partnerships with parents are exceptional. Parents offer the highest praise for the nursery. They comment on the excellent progress their children have made and the good feedback they receive from staff. Parents comment that they genuinely feel they are very lucky to have found the nursery. n Staff receive informal one-to-one meetings to support their professional development and well-being. However, the monitoring of staff performance does not yet focus fully on identifying and sharing ways for staff to further develop

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need to do better?

the quality of their teaching practice to a higher level.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of their responsibilities to protect children. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children's welfare, including protecting children from extremist views. Staff complete regular training to strengthen their knowledge of safeguarding issues. The nursery team ensure that the premises are always secure. For example, gates between areas are always bolted and the main exit and entry doors are always locked. The manager ensures that all adults working with children have the necessary checks in place. This means that only suitable people are working alongside the children.

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should:

29 June 2021 n strengthen the arrangements for the supervision, coaching and mentoring of staff to help raise the quality of teaching to a higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY555433 Local authority North Northamptonshire Inspection number 10174403 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person The Little Lane Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01780 752220 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Little Lane Nursery – Easton On The Hill re-registered in 2017. The provision is in Lincolnshire. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The provision employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including two with a level 6 early years degree, one of whom is the manager. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the provider and manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision. n The inspector spoke to a selection of parents during the inspection and took

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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

29 June 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.

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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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