Discovery Day Nursery

Inspection of Discovery Day Nursery The Meadow Childrens Centre, Furfield Close, MAIDSTONE, Kent ME15 9JR

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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 develop warm and friendly relationships with staff. They fully welcome staff into their chosen play experiences and remain engaged in their learning for good periods of time. For example, young children giggle as they play hide and seek with a member of staff. Older children enjoy playing with the dolls' house and learn about mathematical terms as they place the dolls 'in' bed and 'under' the duvet. Children have opportunities to explore their theories and develop their knowledge of food and growth. For instance, they discussed what the inside of a pumpkin may look like. They then received effective support from staff to cut into the pumpkin to confirm their thoughts.

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The provision is good

All children receive effective development opportunities throughout their day. Staff have a secure knowledge of each child's learning needs and they plan a fully comprehensive and successful curriculum. Children learn to manage their feelings and behaviour through clear guidance and support from staff. From a young age, staff help children to use tools, such as sand timers, to help them to share toys and resources. Through effective teaching of the sequence of learning for this skill, children adopt this strategy to help them manage their behaviour.

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need to do better?

n The manager has a clear vision for the provision and creates a highly inclusive and family orientated ethos. She and her staff work tirelessly to support children and their families. For example, the manager ensures that all children can attend, adapting the environment and staffing to meet children's individual needs. n The nursery environment, like the curriculum, is well planned and rich in re- purposed equipment and resources. This helps children to understand the importance of using items for more than one purpose and about recycling. At lunchtimes, children learn about differing waste products. For example, they separate food waste and packaging that can be recycled. n Parents positively praise staff for their valuable support. They fully appreciate how staff work with other agencies and professionals to seek the assistance their children need. For example, parents comment about the timely referrals for

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need to do better?

speech and language therapy, enabling them to support their children at home. n Staff have a secure knowledge of what children know, understand and can do. Overall, staff's interactions with children are of a good quality. However, at certain times of the day, such as mealtimes, staff do not always extend children's communication and language skills. Sometimes, staff do not further extend the conversations they have with children, such as exploring good dental hygiene when talking about sugary foods. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive prompt and

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need to do better?

7 October 2021 timely support. This enables early diagnosis and support plans to be implemented without delay and for gaps in learning to close swiftly. Staff use additional funding that children receive successfully, and specifically to enhance the outcomes for individuals. n Staff are aware of children's family backgrounds and cultures. However, they do not consistently explore and plan ways in which they can successfully embrace all children's heritage and cultural backgrounds. n During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, staff have been fully supportive of children and their families. For example, they made regular visits to their homes to drop off parcels with provisions and learning packs. The manager ensures that the setting is fully involved in the community, for example liaising with local shops who donate food. She also supports schemes such as hiding story books in the area for children to find and share.

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need to do better?

n Children show great resilience and determination to persevere. For example, a child was struggling to move a box of wooden dominoes. She tried and tried again, stopping to think through her next course of action. She then achieved her desired goal to take the box to a member of staff to play the game. n Children learn to take risks under the effective supervision of staff. For example, children accepted the challenge of walking over differing sized boulders in the outdoor area. Staff successfully encouraged them in this task, offering a hand to hold when needed. This enhances children's large muscles and enables them to develop skills such as balancing and climbing.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff carry out daily risk assessments to highlight and minimise all potential hazards. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff caring for children are suitable. Staff have regular meetings with the manager where they agree training and development opportunities. The manager is fully supportive of staff's well-being and operates an open-door policy. Staff report that they happily approach the manager with their concerns and understand that they would be listed to. Staff show a good knowledge of safeguarding, including the wider aspects. They understand how to make prompt referrals if they have a child protection concern.

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should:

n build on the interactions staff have with children to extend their communication and language skills, especially during routine times of the day n increase staff's understanding of how to embrace children's cultural backgrounds and how to plan more effectively for this.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2502388 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10207720 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 60 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Edseco Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01622 755154 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Discovery Day Nursery registered in 2019 and is based in Maidstone, Kent. It is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. A team of eight staff work with the children. Of these, six hold relevant early years qualifications.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the managers, spoke with staff and interacted with children. n Parents shared their views about 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

7 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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