Seashells Nursery

Inspection of Seashells Nursery Mablethorpe Children's Centre, Stanley Avenue, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire LN12 1DP

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children are happy when they arrive at the nursery. New children engage in learning and settle quickly because staff offer them activities that promote their interests. Children show kindness to their friends and learn to share. For example, when children make dough, they take it in turns to add ingredients to a bowl, such as flour, salt, oil and water.

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The provision is good

Two-year-olds show good hand-to-eye coordination when they use jugs to scoop water and pour it down a drainpipe. When they do this, staff's interactions support them to understand the narrative to a nursery rhyme. For instance, staff sing a nursery rhyme about a spider and a drainpipe. They put a toy spider at the top of the drainpipe and ask children if they can make it fall to the bottom. Three- and four-year-olds begin to understand similarities and differences. For instance, they listen when staff read them a story about an elephant that is different from his friends. Children understand and follow the story. They say 'we are all different'.

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The provision is good

When children go for walks to the library, they learn how they can keep themselves safe. For example, staff help children to recognise when it is safe to cross the road.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff have worked hard to improve practice since the last inspection. The manager monitors staff's performance well, for example through regular supervisions. She supports staff to develop their individual skills and practice. For example, staff attend training courses that help them to develop children's communication and language skills. Staff offer children a language-rich environment where they talk to children when they play alongside them. They read stories to children, sing nursery rhymes and ask children questions to encourage their thinking skills. n The manager and staff establish effective partnerships with other agencies involved with children and their families. Staff use information from other professionals and parents to provide individual plans for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use these plans to support children's development, for example to extend children's social interactions with others.

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need to do better?

n Children learn the rules and boundaries in the nursery. For example, during group circle time, staff explain to children that they need to use 'walking feet', 'listening ears' and 'gentle hands'. n The manager has a clear vision of what she wants children to develop and why. The curriculum has a clear focus on developing three- and four-year-olds' independence in readiness for school. Staff remind children to wash their plate after snack time and to take off their coats when they come in from outdoors. n Parents are very well informed about their children's development. They praise

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need to do better?

11 October 2021 the staff for supporting their children's speaking skills. Parents appreciate that staff offer activities and ideas to help them encourage their children's learning at home. This helps children to receive consistency between home and the nursery. n Occasionally, during planned small-group times, staff who lead the activity are distracted by other children who are playing. Therefore, the children involved in the planned activity have to sit and wait for instructions, rather than being able to be fully involved. n Staff work hard to understand the different experiences that children may have had before they come to nursery. They are aware that some two-year-olds have had limited opportunities, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to mix with other children and adults. Because of this, staff plan group-time activities to encourage children to make relationships with others. They take children to a

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need to do better?

library to listen to stories being read by other adults. Staff know that some three- and four-year-olds do not have opportunities to learn how fruit and vegetables grow, so they provide these experiences for children in the nursery garden. Children help staff to grow and harvest plums, tomatoes, strawberries and pumpkins. n The manager uses additional funding effectively to help close gaps in children's learning. For example, resources have been purchased and are used to support children's mathematical and social skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding. Staff complete training and discuss safeguarding scenarios at staff meetings. This helps them to understand how to identify and respond to signs of abuse and neglect. The manager and staff know where to report concerns about children's safety. Staff complete risk assessments when they take children for walks. They provide children with high-visibility jackets so they can easily be seen. Staff supervise children and make sure that all children hold onto a member of staff's hand. They meet children's individual health needs. For instance, they receive specific training from health professionals to administer medication to children.

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should:

n strengthen staff's planning of small-group times to ensure that children are engaged and get the most from the learning experience.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY337834 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10133356 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 46 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance

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reference number

Telephone number 015 0747 9109 Date of previous inspection 20 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Seashells Nursery registered in 2006 and is situated in the grounds of Mablethorpe Children's Centre, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 4, three hold qualifications at level 3, and two hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am to 4pm. 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 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the nursery. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery, and the manager discussed how she intends to implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and the operations manager. She reviewed relevant documents and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

n Feedback from parents was gathered through discussions and the inspector took account of their views.

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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

11 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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