Grasshoppers Nursery

Inspection of Grasshoppers Nursery Broughton Business Park, Oliver's Place Fulwood Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire PR2 9ZA

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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 demonstrate that they are happy and feel secure at this warm and welcoming nursery. They form close relationships with staff and develop secure friendships with their peers. Children behave very well, especially at mealtimes. They sit together nicely in the dining area and demonstrate good manners and social skills. Children have lots of fun outside in the nursery play area. They learn to manage risks while practising their physical skills, such as climbing and balancing on upturned crates and tyres. Staff stay close to encourage them and keep them safe. Toddlers enjoy re-enacting favourite stories, and babies further develop their walking skills with staff, while outside in the fresh air.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children. They support them to achieve as much as possible. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language, and those who receive funding. All parents recognise the great bonds that their children have to their key people. They feel that their children are flourishing and making good progress. Staff focus their teaching on children's personal social and emotional development and speech and language, to support children's return to the setting following the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, children are confident in social situations and express their needs well.

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The provision is good

Staff work closely with parents to gather detailed information about children's existing skills and abilities. Changes in arrival and collection procedures means parents are not able to go into the nursery rooms. However, staff work hard to ensure that parents are kept up to date regarding their child's learning and development. Staff successfully maintain face-to-face communication sharing and continue to use different strategies to ensure that partnerships with parents are well established.

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need to do better?

n Staff have high expectations for all children and provide a balanced curriculum. They know the children well and understand the intent of the activities they provide in each room. Staff engage in meaningful conversations with children and model language very effectively. Staff read stories and sing with children and do this with confidence and enthusiasm. Toddlers and babies thoroughly enjoy the numerous sensory and musical activities on offer. Staff confidently weave mathematical language into children's play and help them to learn to count and recognise numerals. n Staff provide opportunities for developing children's literacy skills. They help children to develop their large- and small-motor skills from an early age. This helps them to gain the strength and coordination necessary for writing. For

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need to do better?

23 November 2021 instance, babies handle musical instruments and discover that they make a sound when they shake them. Toddlers become proficient at using paintbrushes and other mark-making materials. Pre-school children develop good scissor and pencil control. They capably cut, pick and stick materials to their artwork to create a healthy eating plate. n Children learn the skills they need for future learning, such as independence. Staff are on hand to support younger children put on their outdoor clothing and when reaching pre-school, they can do this successfully for themselves. Children learn to manage their own personal care routines. For example, children learn how to wash their hands correctly and follow visual routines seen throughout the nursery. At mealtimes, children enjoy healthy, nutritious snacks and meals. They make choices and decisions about what they eat, and independently pour their

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need to do better?

own drinks. n The manager reviews and develops the nursery effectively. She encourages staff to evaluate the environment in their individual rooms. This ensures that activities follow children's interests and motivates them to learn. Staff well-being is a priority and supervision meetings are maintained. In addition, staff complete all mandatory training packages. However, further professional development is not sufficiently focused on education and early years practice, to enhance staff's knowledge and skills to improve the teaching of the curriculum to the very highest levels.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff team create a safe and secure environment for children. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of safeguarding. They know what steps to take, should they have concerns about children's welfare or the conduct of a colleague. In addition, staff have a broad understanding of other safeguarding areas, such as radicalisation and extremism. Robust recruitment arrangements ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff help children learn about keeping themselves safe. For example, children learn about road safety on outings in the community, and indoors, staff remind children to walk and not to run.

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should:

n strengthen the professional development of staff that focuses on enhancing their knowledge and skills, and consistently improves the teaching of the curriculum to the very highest levels.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2536204 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10208579 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 87 Number of children on roll 80 Name of registered person Kearney, Laura McKay

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reference number

Telephone number 07565188331 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Grasshoppers Nursery registered in 2019. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one holds an early years qualification at level 4, nine hold qualifications at level 3 and three at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and managers and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector carried out a learning walk with the manager. She observed the quality of education and the impact this has on children's learning. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation of a small-group activity. n Written documentation was reviewed. This included suitability checks, and safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures. n The views of parents were gathered through face-to-face discussions and telephone calls during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff about the curriculum and to children about their play and 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

23 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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