The Play Den Nursery

Inspection of The Play Den Nursery Unit 17b, Headlands Trading Estate, Swindon SN2 7JQ

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children settle quickly on arrival and happily get involved in a varied range of learning opportunities. They engage fully in what they are doing and enthusiastically join in with activities, such as taking part in counting games and choosing songs to sing. Children enjoy close relationships with the staff, who provide reassurance and support. For example, babies have the confidence to move around freely but then return to cuddle up to staff. Children are well behaved and polite.

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The provision is good

Staff know the children well and have high expectations for all of them. They make effective use of their assessments of children's progress to identify what each child needs to do next. These individual next steps are clearly displayed in each room so that all staff can help the children to achieve them. Staff also take account of children's interests when planning activities to ensure that they find them appealing. They offer praise and encouragement to motivate children to be active learners who make choices about their play and enjoy exploring.

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The provision is good

Staff maintained contact with parents throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. When the nursery was closed, staff increased the use of their online system to give parents ideas of how to support their children's learning at home. They also used social media to share ideas. This helped children and families to maintain a link to the nursery. Staff have worked hard to help children catch up following lockdown.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. The special needs coordinator is skilled at recognising potential delays in children's development. She works with parents, staff and other professionals to provide the help each child requires to make good progress from their starting points. Staff use resources, such as visual cues, to help children understand what is going to happen next and to choose what to have for snack. n Staff provide an inclusive welcome for parents and carers and work successfully with them to ensure a shared approach to each child's individual care and education. Parents report that their children enjoy attending and are impressed with the rate of their development. n Children do not have the opportunity to learn extensively about the natural world. Although there are resources available, such as troughs, seed trays and watering cans, they do not regularly use these for planting and observing

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need to do better?

growth. n Most children are confident and eager to engage with others. For example, older children talk to each other at lunchtime. Staff have worked hard on children's

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need to do better?

13 July 2021 personal, social and emotional development since they returned to nursery, to give them the firm foundations they need for their learning. n Children are well behaved. Staff throughout the nursery consistently take every opportunity to remind them to use good manners and to share and take turns. Children respond positively and follow instructions, such as getting up after lunch one table at a time instead of all together. They show respect for one another as they play happily together. n Staff do not support children who are learning English as an additional language as effectively as possible. Although they ask parents for key words in the family's home language, they do not regularly make use of these to support the children as they learn English. Although children have booklets showing photographs of their family and friends, there are few other resources that show positive images of diversity to help children feel valued and learn about differences.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's communication well. The nursery provides a language- rich environment for children of all ages. For example, staff talk to babies about what they are doing and help them learn simple words. They have conversations with older children about a wide range of subjects and the children chat animatedly with one another. n The owner/manager has a clear vision for the nursery and has high expectations of staff. She is aware that returning to work after a long period of lockdown has been stressful and she has provided opportunities for staff to discuss this with her. She values the staff and is taking them on a camping trip in the near future to build on their existing team spirit.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff place a high priority on safeguarding children. All staff complete relevant training early in the induction process and their knowledge is kept up to date through discussion at meetings and staff newsletters. Staff have a secure understanding of the possible signs that a child is at risk of harm and what to do if they are concerned. They understand that they have responsibility to refer these concerns if the designated safeguarding lead does not take appropriate action, and details of how to do this are displayed in each room. They also understand the need to refer any concerns about the conduct of colleagues. Staff supervise children carefully and ensure that the nursery environment is safe and secure.

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should:

n provide more opportunities for children who are learning English as an additional language to use their home language in play and learning, and extend the range of images and resources that show positive images of diversity to help all

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should:

13 July 2021 children learn about differences n provide children with more opportunities to learn about the natural world, with particular regard to growing and observing plants.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY535956 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 10198894 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 48 Number of children on roll 76 Name of registered person The Play Den Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07434882604 Date of previous inspection 13 December 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Play Den Nursery registered in 2016. It is open Monday to Friday from 7am until 6pm, for 48 weeks of the year. There is a team of 12 staff, including the owner/manager. Of these, one holds a relevant qualification at level 6, one holds level 5, five hold level 3 and three hold level 2. The nursery is in receipt of funding for free education sessions for children aged two, three and four years. It also offers wraparound care for school children before and after school.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 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 inspector and the manager completed a learning walk and discussed the operation of the nursery and the intent of the curriculum. n The manager and the inspector completed a joint observation to assess and discuss the quality of teaching. n Several children were tracked by the inspector in order to assess their experience in the nursery and the progress that they are making. n The inspector spoke to staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector scrutinised a sample of documentation, including staff's first-aid qualifications, staff folders and records of incidents. n The inspector spoke to parents to gather 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

13 July 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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