Hopscotch Nursery

Inspection of Hopscotch Nursery The Old School, Church Street, Seaford, East Sussex BN25 1HH

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy coming to nursery. They greet their friends happily as they arrive and are excited to sing the welcome song. Babies form close bonds with consistent staff. They follow familiar routines from home, which helps them feel safe and secure. During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, staff have worked hard to adapt procedures and routines at the nursery, such as how children are dropped off and collected. This helps to reduce the spread of infection and reassure parents that their children are safe.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Older children confidently negotiate with their friends, agreeing who can use the scissors first at the play dough table. Younger children begin to join in with songs and listen quietly when staff read them stories. Staff have high expectations of children's abilities and encourage them to be independent. Children learn to pour drinks at lunchtime and to take off their own shoes. They benefit from a broad curriculum both inside and out in the garden. Outside, children are eager to explore. They practise their physical skills as they scramble up the climbing frame or balance along a beam. Staff quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and provide additional support where needed. They make effective use of available funding to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well.

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need to do better?

n Children develop good relationships with staff and each other. Staff support children's emotional well-being effectively. They build children's self-esteem and confidence by providing warm reassurance and lots of praise. Children begin to talk about their feelings and use the emotions board to let staff know if they are angry or sad. They quickly learn to follow the daily routines that help keep them healthy and safe. Children remember when they need to wash their hands and they line up quietly to go outside. n Staff find out about what children already know and can do before they start at the nursery. This helps them plan for children's learning from the beginning. Staff build on children's language skills particularly well. From their first day, younger children hear new words as well as familiar songs, which supports their communication skills. In pre-school, older children articulately express their ideas

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need to do better?

and have long conversations with their friends. n Children take part in a variety of interesting and stimulating experiences. Older children are inspired when they grow strawberries and tomatoes from seed. They check the plants carefully every day to see if the fruit has turned from green to red. They understand that this will mean it is ready to eat. However, activities are not consistently of the highest quality throughout the nursery. At times, some staff are not sure what they want children to learn from activities or

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need to do better?

21 September 2021 why they have been planned. This means that, on occasion, children's experiences do not successfully build on their skills and knowledge or challenge and inspire them, to help them make the best possible progress. n The experienced early years teacher provides effective support for older children as they develop the skills they need for early writing and reading. Children benefit from small group or individual sessions, as well as daily access to books, pens and paper. However, at times, activities and resources that staff provide for younger children to encourage early writing are not well matched to their age or stage of development. n Managers are committed to providing high-quality care and learning for all children. They monitor staff practice closely and regularly observe them to help them develop their skills. In response to the challenges presented by the COVID- 19 pandemic, managers have adapted the support offered to staff, in order to

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need to do better?

prioritise their well-being. This includes additional welfare meetings and access to counselling. n Children enjoy interesting outings, for example a visit to a French market to buy some food. This helps to develop their understanding of different communities and broadens their experiences from home. Staff encourage children to share the things that make their families special, so that everyone learns to value and respect each other. Children are proud to use their home language as they name the colours in a 'traffic light' game. n Parents speak positively about the care that their children receive at nursery. They say that staff keep them informed through their child's online learning journals and daily conversations at drop-off and collection times. Staff regularly offer ideas so that parents can continue their child's learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers follow robust recruitment procedures to help ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. All staff complete a thorough induction so that they understand their role and responsibilities. They understand how to recognise and report any child protection concerns, including wider safeguarding issues such as 'Prevent'. Managers provide regular training to make sure staff knowledge is up to date. Staff supervise children vigilantly at all times. They conduct daily safety checks and continually assess the environment for risks, to make sure that children can play safely.

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should:

n support staff to focus more precisely on what they want children to learn from planned activities, to help all children quickly gain new knowledge and skills

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should:

21 September 2021 n develop staff's understanding of how to consistently plan and provide stimulating experiences to support younger children's early writing skills, that are well matched to their age and abilities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY455749 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10207197 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 92 Number of children on roll 158 Name of registered person ACPH Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01323 492 123 Date of previous inspection 13 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Hopscotch Nursery registered in 2012 and is situated in Seaford, East Sussex. It is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 18 staff; of these, one is a qualified teacher and 13 hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity in the baby room. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and held a meeting with the manager and area manager to discuss the leadership and management of the nursery. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

21 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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