Sunflowers Neighbourhood Nursery

Inspection of Sunflowers Neighbourhood Nursery Braunstone Leisure Centre, 2 Hamelin Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE3 1JN

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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 benefit from the staff's consistently positive interactions with them at nursery. They are confident to share their interests and explore the wide range of quirky resources that are available to them. For example, pre-school children are fascinated by the numbers and hands on an old clock. They say the numbers as they move the hands around the dial, counting to 12 and back down to one. This interest in numbers is extended by staff in the outside area. Children count eagerly how many times the ball bounces when they try to hit it with the bat.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of the children about what they can do. For example, two-year-olds are encouraged by staff to extend their small physical skills. These children pull leaves from herb plants to add to the play dough they make. Staff suggest they use scissors to snip the leaves. They supervise children using the scissors to keep them safe. Children persist with support from staff and show their pleasure when they snip the leaves successfully.

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The provision is good

Children get to know the staff well and form positive relationships that help children feel safe and happy. Babies smile when staff talk and sing to them. They are comforted when they are upset or tired as they snuggle on staff's laps.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the management team have made significant changes to improve practice in the nursery. They have a reflective approach and work closely with the staff to make changes to how they plan for children's learning. Staff identify and follow children's interests and their next steps in learning, when planning effectively. The manager has reduced the number of children that attend the nursery each day. This means that staff have more time to spend playing and interacting with children and, as a result, the quality of education has improved. n Parents speak highly about the nursery. They say that staff are friendly and supportive to them and their children. Parents say they can see the progress their children make in relation to their speech, their confidence and their social skills. However, parents say the feedback about their child's day, occasionally, does not give them enough information. This means that parents do not always

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need to do better?

know what their children have been doing to help them speak to their child about their day when they get home. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language have their needs met well. Managers use additional funding effectively to support children who need one-to-one care. Staff work in close partnership with other professionals, who are involved with the children, to ensure they receive a consistent approach. Staff use picture

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need to do better?

15 November 2021 communication cards and Makaton signing effectively. This helps children to communicate with their friends and with staff. n Children take part in group activities where the staff's focus is on promoting their listening and attention, their social skills and to extend their vocabulary. Staff help children become confident to choose songs for everyone to sing and use the Makaton signs. Staff read stories that extend children's vocabulary by introducing new words that are linked to the pictures in the story. However, some children become distracted because they are not able to see the pictures in the book. The activity becomes less meaningful for these children and they do not benefit as much as the others taking part. n Staff talk to parents to find out about the experiences children have at home. They use the information to plan activities that help widen children's knowledge and experience. For example, children who have fewer opportunities to

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need to do better?

experience nature grow plants at nursery. With support from staff, children learn how to dig holes in the soil and how to care for the plants. n Children learn to be independent. Staff enable all children to make choices about what they do. They tip treasure baskets on their side, so babies can easily choose from the items inside. Staff help pre-school children learn how to resolve minor disagreements on their own. They encourage children to use their words to explain how they feel and to listen to one another. This helps children develop confidence and resilience.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers have effective procedures in place to check the suitability of staff before they are employed. They complete checks to ensure existing staff remain suitable to work with children. Staff demonstrate an appropriate understanding of how to promote children's welfare. They know about the signs and symptoms of abuse and how to report any child protection concerns that arise. Staff complete effective risk assessments to keep children safe at nursery. Managers organise higher than required ratios of staff to children, which ensures children are well supervised. Staff support children to take manageable risks in their play to promote their understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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should:

n focus more precisely on ensuring that all parents are consistently informed about the activities their children have taken part in during the day n extend staff's awareness of how to ensure that small group activities and stories are meaningful for all children who take part.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY295699 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 10131736 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 85 Number of children on roll 84 Name of registered person Braunstone Childcare Co-operative Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0116 2559258 Date of previous inspection 11 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Sunflowers Neighbourhood Nursery registered in 2004 and is managed by a limited company. It is situated in the Braunstone area of Leicester. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 2 and 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery deputy. n The manager, deputy, special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and inspector completed a learning walk together to help the inspector understand the intent for the curriculum. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager, the deputy and the SENCO. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took

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Inspection activities

account of their views. She also took account of email feedback from parents.

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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

15 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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