Ashington Minors

Inspection of Ashington Minors Back Sycamore Street, ASHINGTON, Northumberland NE63 0AH

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children flourish at this setting. They form friendships with one another and learn the importance of sharing. For instance, children work together to combine ingredients when making their own dough. They behave well and staff remind them to say please and thank you to others. Children remain engaged in activities and delight in exploring how colours change as they add different colourings to their prepared dough. They talk to staff with enthusiasm about the different patterns they can see in their mixture. Children continue their learning and add various natural materials into their dough, including acorns, twigs and sticks. Children use good language skills to talk about the models they have made.

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The provision is good

Children show that they feel safe and secure in the care of staff. They seek them for comfort and climb on their lap to listen to their favourite stories. Older children show increasing levels of confidence and independence as they play. Young children dress up wearing various types of hats. They laugh as staff join in with them. Children spend long periods of time exploring paint and creating pictures. Young children use chunky crayons and chalks and make various marks. This helps to promote children's literacy skills.

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need to do better?

n Leaders implement an ambitious curriculum that helps children prepare well for their next stage in learning. During the COVID-19 restrictions, the setting closed for a period of time. Since children returned to the setting, leaders and staff found some delay in children's learning, including language delay and children struggling with toilet training. Staff place a strong emphasis on helping children to develop their communication and language skills. They encourage lots of repetition of words and support children to join in with familiar stories and rhymes. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported at this inclusive setting. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and other professionals. They complete assessments of children's learning and build on their strengths. Staff put appropriate support in place to help children fulfil their potential. n Staff follow good standards of hygiene. Sleeping children are checked frequently

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need to do better?

and children are provided with nutritious meals. Staff provide children with opportunities to be physically active in their play. For instance, children jump and stretch to catch bubbles in the outdoor area. They ride around on bikes and wheeled toys. However, staff have not considered ways to enhance children's natural curiosity to explore the world around them. There is less focus on the curriculum during outdoor play. n Children develop good mathematical skills. They learn to weigh and measure

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need to do better?

4 November 2021 during creative activities, such as sand play. Young children recognise shapes as they fit jigsaw pieces together. Older children recognise numbers. They match and sequence objects in size order. Children add wooden rings to hooks and solve problems, including how to make sure both sides of their structure is balanced. n Partnership working with parents is well embedded. Parents compliment leaders and staff on the care they provide for their children. Parents explain that they are kept well informed about their children's learning. Parents are provided with activities and ideas to help continue their children's learning at home. n Leaders complete regular supervision sessions with staff. Staff attend regular team meetings and share ideas and suggestions about improvements needed at the setting. However, leaders have not considered how to build on staffs' current knowledge and skills. For instance, staff provide less opportunities in their

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need to do better?

curriculum for children to extend their understanding of differences of communities and cultures beyond their own. n Children are imaginative learners. They develop good hand-to-eye coordination as they use nets to catch pretend fish during water play games. Older children create structures using wooden blocks and work together to use tools to build their models.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how to respond to concerns about the welfare of a child. They are vigilant and supervise children well. Staff promote children's safety and well-being. Leaders implement clear policies. They review staffs' understanding of safeguarding matters through regular appraisals and supervision sessions. Staff are aware of matters that may impact on children's well- being, including domestic violence. Leaders understand their responsibilities to notify relevant authorities of any allegations against staff before conducting their own investigation into the matter. There are good recruitment procedures in place. This helps to ensure those working with children are suitable.

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should:

n build upon children's natural curiosity to learn and provide activities that challenge children's thinking skills, particularly in relation to outdoor play n extend professional development opportunities to help enrich the quality of education and build on children's understanding of the differences of people and communities beyond their own.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY346062 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10212599 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 66 Number of children on roll 60 Name of registered person Ashington Minors Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01670 858887 Date of previous inspection 3 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Ashington Minors registered in 2007. The nursery employs 12 members of staff, 10 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 5.30pm. The nursery provides free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 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 Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having 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

4 November 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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