Oxford Gems Nursery

Inspection of Oxford Gems Nursery 2 Clarendon Street, Preston, Lancashire PR1 3YN

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are extremely happy and clearly enjoy the time they spend in this very warm and welcoming nursery. They settle quickly on arrival and immediately become absorbed in the rich and varied range of opportunities available. Children understand the arrangements that have been implemented due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. For example, they use hand sanitiser on arrival and know that they must wash their hands frequently.

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The provision is good

Children swiftly build warm and trusting relationships with staff, who have high expectations of them. Children thrive on the positive praise and encouragement that they receive from the kind, patient and nurturing staff team. Children confidently seek out staff when they need reassurance, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. All children make good progress in their learning, including those who receive additional funding.

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The provision is good

Children consistently show high levels of respect for one another. They listen carefully to their friends and wait patiently for their turn as they play collaboratively together. Children demonstrate an impressive understanding of what is expected of them. They share with staff the rules of the nursery, carefully explaining what they must do. For example, children confidently talk about using their 'observant eyes, kind hands' and 'polite words'. They are keen to remind each other that 'sharing is caring' and that they must say please and thank you. As a result of staff's careful teaching and explanation, children's behaviour is exemplary.

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need to do better?

n Children demonstrate excellent independence and positive attitudes to their play and learning. For example, young children concentrate intently as they play with dough. They show perseverance and determination as they carefully try and copy what staff are modelling. Children keep on trying until they achieve what they set out to do. Staff celebrate their efforts with an abundance of praise and encouragement, which helps to raise children's self-esteem. Furthermore, at snack time, children have the opportunity to develop and consolidate new skills. They show increasing confidence and ability when spreading butter on their toast as they recall and remember what they need to do. n Children flourish because they have secure emotional attachments with the passionate and dedicated staff team. Staff work exceptionally hard to ensure that they have detailed information about children's individual heritage,

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need to do better?

personality and their existing skills and abilities. They successfully use this information to help children to settle and quickly become accustomed to the nursery routine. For example, children who speak English as an additional language are able to refer to pictures to help them to understand what is

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need to do better?

16 September 2021 happening next. Furthermore, staff use key words from children's home languages to further aid their understanding. n Staff have created wonderful opportunities for children to learn about the world around them. For example, children have been mesmerised by the demolition and construction of a new Mosque outside their nursery window. Builders have visited the children, explaining their occupation and have spoken about the tools that they use and the uniform that they wear. Staff have further developed children's emerging interest and fascination by creating their own construction project within the nursery. Consequently, children have learned new vocabulary, such as, 'cement mixer' and 'excavator'. They show an awareness of people in their community and the role that they play. n Overall, staff support children's emerging communication and language skills well. Staff continuously introduce new vocabulary as children play and use

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need to do better?

repetition to reinforce children's understanding. However, on occasions, staff do not consistently use skilful questioning techniques. Sometimes, staff ask too many questions and do not always give children sufficient time to think and respond. n Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents comment positively on the care and learning opportunities that their children receive. They particularly appreciate how staff have endeavoured to ensure that communication streams are maintained throughout the pandemic. They talk favourably about the dedicated application that staff use to share photographs and the home learning information and advice that staff provide, to help further extend children's learning at home. n The dedicated and passionate manager leads an enthusiastic staff team. She provides timely and purposeful support for all staff through detailed supervision sessions, observations of practice and staff meetings. This encourages staff to

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need to do better?

engage in reflective practice and helps to raise the quality of their teaching and increase their knowledge and skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a robust understanding of their role and responsibility in protecting children from harm. They confidently describe the procedures they would follow if they had concerns about a child's welfare. Staff have a clear understanding of what to do if an allegation is made against a member of staff or if they have concerns about a colleague's practice or conduct. Staff attend regular training and frequently discuss the issues of safeguarding during staff meetings and supervision sessions. Managers share scenarios with the team and use questioning to confirm their understanding. Robust recruitment arrangements ensure that all staff are suitable to carry out their role.

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should:

n support staff to strengthen their knowledge of how to consistently use skilful questioning techniques, so that children are given sufficient time to think and respond and can further develop their communication and language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY555571 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10175221 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 40 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person Oxford Gems Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07973 340 667 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Oxford Gems Nursery registered in 2018. The nursery is open Monday to Friday. Sessions are available from 9am to 12pm, 12pm to 3pm and from 9am until 3pm, term time only. The nursery employs five staff, including a senior manager. The senior manager holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, the manager holds a qualification at level 5 and all remaining staff are qualified at level 3. 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 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 inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n A learning walk was completed with the manager to discuss the curriculum intent and how the provision is organised. n The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and senior manager. She reviewed a variety of documents, including evidence of the suitability of staff, qualifications, first-aid certificates and policies. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children during activities and assessed the impact of teaching on children's learning.

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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

16 September 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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