Unicorn Day Nursery

Inspection of Unicorn Day Nursery Shelsey Avenue, Oldbury B69 1BP

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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 enjoy the time they spend in this child-orientated nursery. They make good progress in their learning from their individual starting points. They are happy, settled and interact positively with their peers and staff. Children are inquisitive and concentrate at their chosen activity. They excitedly scoop sand to find the Christmas baubles that are buried in it.

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The provision is good

Babies have great fun as they explore sensory bottles and play peekaboo with scarves. They shout and laugh with delight as staff hide themselves under a scarf and then reappear. Older children make baubles for the Christmas tree. They persevere as they use scissors to cut out their shapes before decorating them. Children talk about their favourite colours and name them as they choose shredded paper to decorate their baubles. Children relish outdoor play. They ride bikes, climb on logs to complete a timber trail and develop their physical skills as they roll hoops, bounce on a space hopper and swing in a tyre. Children develop their imagination as they play in the fairy garden and the mud kitchen.

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The provision is good

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is exceptional. Activities and resources are adapted to meet their individual needs. For example, they benefit from a calming sensory area and receive one-to-one input from a dedicated member of staff.

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need to do better?

n The nursery benefits from a strong manager who is forward-thinking. She is supported by a senior management team. They regularly meet with staff to reflect on their practice and make action plans for the future. n Staff are valued and extremely well supported. The manager places a strong emphasis on professional development. Staff are provided with time out each week to access training courses that will enhance their knowledge and practice. n Children choose from activities that are planned and adapted to meet their individual learning styles and next steps for learning. Staff are extremely mindful when planning activities to ensure that they incorporate experiences that children would not necessarily receive elsewhere. For example, during the summer months, part of the garden was transformed into a beach area and a room in the nursery has been made into a soft-play area. n Children's communication and language are given high priority. They receive

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need to do better?

tailored support to enhance their communication skills. The nursery has introduced specific tools and activities to focus precisely on developing children's speech. For example, they have introduced 'chatterbags' for children to take home, and children take part in dance activities where they talk about the movements they make. Staff observe children and work closely with other

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need to do better?

9 December 2021 professionals to ensure that they receive any additional support they may need. n Babies enjoy exploring marshmallows, toy trees and reindeer during a winter activity. They squeeze the marshmallows before tasting them and feel the texture of the trees. Older children make play dough. They experiment as they mix paint together to see if they can make brown and use it to colour the play dough. They squash the play dough and add pipe cleaners, sparkly pom-poms and eyes to make gingerbread men. However, the organisation of some group activities does not enable all children to fully participate, and some activities are not geared well enough to children's age and stage of development. n Information is shared with parents through an online application. Staff provide parents with a 'my week at nursery' update, which includes photos and observations of what children have been doing throughout the week. A paper

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need to do better?

base is provided for those parents who prefer it or who do not have access to social media. The manager provides a one-to-one support session for parents, if required, to teach them how to use the application. n Parents are encouraged to continue their child's learning at home and support them in preparation for school. They are invited to attend parents' workshops on topics such as letter formation, phonics and mathematics. Parents are extremely positive about the care and support their child receives. n Children's behaviour is good. They learn to share and take turns as they play, and staff sensitively remind them to be nice to their friends. All children enjoy eating Christmas dinner together. They sit at tables with their friends and proficiently serve themselves vegetables.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good knowledge of the signs that may indicate that a child is being abused. They regularly refresh their safeguarding training to ensure that they are always up to date with any changes. They talk about safeguarding scenarios during staff meetings, and the manager checks their ongoing knowledge through questions. Staff fully understand the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child or a member of staff. Recruitment procedures are robust to ensure that everyone working with the children is safe and suitable to do so.

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should:

n review the organisation of activities so that all children are able to fully participate and gain the most from their learning n provide children with activities that are suitable for their age and stage of development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY386701 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 10204749 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 73 Number of children on roll 117 Name of registered person Sandwell Supply Nursery Services Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 552 5242 Date of previous inspection 26 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Unicorn Day Nursery registered in 2009 and is situated in Oldbury, West Midlands. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including four who hold level 4, two who hold level 5 and two who hold level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery operates a before- and after-school club during term time. Sessions are from 7.30am to 8.40am and 3.30pm to 6pm. A holiday club operates from 7.30am to 6pm during school holidays.

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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 the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the manager. n The inspector looked at a selection of documentation and checked evidence of the suitability of staff working with the children. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The manager and the inspector had a learning walk together. They observed staff's teaching practice during activities.

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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

9 December 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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