Muddy Puddles Nursery and After School Club Ditton

Inspection of Muddy Puddles Nursery and After School Club Ditton Ditton Community Centre, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton, Aylesford, Kent ME20 6AH

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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 are happy and safe in this warm and welcoming environment. They have good attachments to staff and enjoy the adult involvement in their play and exploration. Older children are eager to share their experiences. They happily chat about what they have been doing at nursery and at home. Children's behaviour is good, and staff act as positive role models. They encourage children to use their manners, and children learn how to cooperate with each other. They are learning to understand how their actions may affect other people's feelings.

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The provision is good

Children have a good understanding of the nursery routines and are beginning to undertake some tasks independently. Children learn the importance of healthy lifestyles. They help to prepare nutritious snacks and wash up afterwards. Children follow effective hygiene routines and engage in physical exercise each day. For example, children participate in weekly 'Cycle tots' classes and this helps to enhance their balance and coordination skills.

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The provision is good

Children are enthusiastic to learn and keen to explore their surroundings. The nursery is well resourced to support learning opportunities, which cover all areas of learning. Children learn through an effective balance of child-initiated play and adult-led activities, which capture their curiosity. Children make good progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Parents are highly complimentary about the nursery and staff. They say they feel well informed about their child's progress and what they need to learn next. Parents value the daily feedback provided by staff when they collect their children. They appreciate the information staff share with them to help support children's learning at home. n During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff kept in regular contact with children and their families. Consequently, children returned to the nursery feeling relaxed and settled. The manager sent out 'learning packs' and seeds for the children to grow at home. Staff shared recordings of 'story time' and a range of activities for children to watch at home. n Additional funding, such as the early years pupil premium, is used appropriately to meet children's needs. For example, the outside area has been significantly enhanced. Children can now freely move between the indoor and outdoor area

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need to do better?

according to their own interests. n Children who might need additional support are identified quickly and plans are put in place to help them to achieve. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children receive the extra support they need. The manager has high expectations for all children's learning and development. For

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need to do better?

17 November 2021 instance, children have learned to concentrate and remain engaged for long periods. Children manage their behaviour well and are able to share and wait their turn. n Regular self-evaluation and effective team working contribute to a well- organised provision. There are good opportunities for staff professional development. For example, staff access a wide range of training topics and support from the manager. However, this support and the training content is not currently focused to consistently make improvements in the teaching of the curriculum to the very highest levels. n Staff follow children's interests and, generally, support them in a way that is appropriate to their level of development. As children enjoy making play dough, staff help to enhance their mathematical skills. For example, they encourage children to think about the different quantities of ingredients and count as they

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need to do better?

add them together. Staff clearly emphasise key words within their interactions, such as 'flour, sticky' and 'mix', to help enhance children's understanding and speaking skills. n Overall, the quality of the curriculum is good. Staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. They use some signing within their interaction, ask good questions and encourage children to critically think and solve problems for themselves. For example, children consider if a longer or shorter string will be most effective when flying a kite. However, strategies to help children who speak English as an additional language to become familiar with the setting and develop their language skills, are not as well embedded in practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding about how to keep children safe. They attend regular safeguarding training to keep their child protection knowledge up to date. Staff have a clear understanding of the procedure they must follow in the event of any concerns about a child. The manager has attended safer recruitment training. She knows how to recruit safely and ensure essential background checks are completed to check staff suitability. Staff place a high importance on keeping children safe. They undertake daily checks of the nursery environment to help to ensure that it remains a safe place for children.

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should:

n increase the focus of support and professional development for staff to help raise the quality of teaching even higher n develop strategies to further support children who speak English as an additional

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should:

17 November 2021 language, to help them to settle quickly and to further enhance their communication and language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2503861 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10207730 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 32 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Muddy Puddles Early Years Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07729042811 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Muddy Puddles Nursery and After School Club Ditton registered in 2018. The nursery operates between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. It offers before- and after-school provision, from 7.30am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm. The nursery employs eight members of staff, of whom five hold early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery provides funded education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 setting. n The inspector sampled documentation such as staff files, first-aid certificates, and risk assessments. n The manager and the inspector took part in a learning walk at the start of the inspection, to find out what staff intend children to learn and how they implement the curriculum. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation to find out how they evaluate teaching. n The inspector spoke to staff and children throughout the inspection and gained the views of 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

17 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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