Kids Planet Weston-super-Mare

Inspection of Little Bears Day Nursery 8 Martindale Road, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset BS22 8QE

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children soon settle on arrival and cannot wait to engage in the activities provided. They are happy in their play and fascinated by their learning. Staff notice what interests the children and provide effective support to help them to develop new skills and knowledge. For example, they demonstrate to toddlers how to open a bottle of bubble mixture and give them time to practise for themselves. Staff praise children's perseverance and help them to see the effect the wind is having in making bubbles. Children watch with fascination and then keep trying again. As more children show an interest, staff help them to share, which they willingly do. Older children learn to solve problems, as they use trial and error to construct a train track. Staff support all children well in becoming independent and emotionally secure. They are gentle and reassuring with babies and toddlers, and talk respectfully to older children.

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The provision requires improvement

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic restrictions, parents no longer enter the premises unless their children are moving rooms or they require a face-to-face meeting with staff. Parents confirm that they receive all the information they need to provide consistent care and to support their children's learning at home. Parents particularly mention the supportive staff and the improvement in their children's confidence and independence.

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need to do better?

n The management team provides effective support for new staff. For example, the managers spend time without the children to ensure that staff complete required training, understand policies and procedures and know their responsibilities. New staff then spend time in each room. Once it is agreed where they would work most successfully, they are given a mentor to support them further. The deputy managers spend time working directly with the staff and children, providing supervision and support. They observe staff practice and feed back to them on how they can develop. They are strong role models. n The manager provides regular training for staff. She is currently supporting the new special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) in her new role. The SENCo knows which children need additional support and is already working well with outside agencies to ensure that children make successful progress. Managers

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need to do better?

are implementing new planning and assessment. Staff know what interests the children and use their fascinations to support the skills and knowledge they need to develop next. n The management team expects staff to support children in showing respect for and taking care of their environment. Children of all ages hear the music that indicates it is time to tidy up and know to start putting the resources away. However, in the pre-school room, staff sometimes are so intent on children

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need to do better?

6 October 2021 making choices and accessing resources independently, that they do not identify when the room becomes cluttered. For example, they help children to get out a box of bricks, when there is already no room on the floor. Although children's behaviour is good, they inevitably stand on the books and toys. Staff fail to help children to care for their environment, which no longer promotes their focus on learning. n A deputy manager is helping staff to extend their knowledge of supporting children's language and communication skills. They have begun to implement the greater use of books and props to engage children more effectively in stories. All staff talk to children about what they are doing and introduce new vocabulary, helping them to remember and use it appropriately. However, this is not consistently embedded, and staff occasionally use long sentences and no visual cues with babies and children who are learning English as an additional

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need to do better?

language. They sometimes ask older children questions and do not give them enough time to respond. n Children develop an important understanding of healthy practices. For example, babies brush the teeth of their dollies, and pre-school children engage in stories about going to the dentist. All children wash their hands before entering the nursery. Older children learn to wipe their nose, and cover their mouth if they sneeze or cough, to help prevent the spread of germs. All children have daily opportunities to play and learn outdoors, wearing the appropriate clothing for the weather. Children drink plenty of water and have a healthy diet.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff and managers attend safeguarding training. They know how to identify if children are at risk of harm and the procedures to follow to protect them. Staff are clear about the whistle-blowing policy and know where to find contact details to report any incidents. Staff are deployed effectively. They take a register and count children as they enter the building after playing outside. Children learn to manage risks. For example, they handle scissors safely and climb with care and control, according to their developmental stages.

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should:

n focus staff development in the pre-school room, to help them ensure that children develop respect for their environment and can concentrate more effectively on their learning n help staff to implement good teaching skills consistently across the nursery, to support children's language and communication skills further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2525024 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10204344 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 53 Number of children on roll 89 Name of registered person Little Bears (wsm) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07718320244 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Bears Day Nursery registered in 2007 and re-registered as a limited company in 2019. It is situated in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 21 members of staff, including a manager and two deputies. Of these, the manager and one deputy manager hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 5, along with one other staff member. One member of staff holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 6 and 14 members of staff hold qualifications at level 3. One is working towards their level 5. Two members of staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 and are working towards their level 3.

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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 has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n In the absence of the manager, a deputy manager led the inspector on a walk around the nursery to discuss how they use the environment to implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education, spoke with staff and assessed the effectiveness of safeguarding and care procedures. n A deputy manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector held a leadership and management discussion with both deputy managers and sampled documentation. n Children's and parents' views were taken account of by 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

6 October 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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