Sunflowers

Inspection of Sunflowers 29 Dover Road, Southport, Sefton PR8 4TB

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children have adapted well to changes due to COVID-19, such as room closures and leaving their parents at the door when they arrive. They enter confidently and enjoy their time at nursery. Children display good levels of confidence and self- esteem. Staff encourage children to behave well and be polite, for example a child says 'excuse me' when trying to get past another child. Staff purposefully encourage children to interact with each other as they play. For example, a baby is asked to pass a brush to another baby, so they can paint together. This helps to build children's social and communication skills.

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The provision is good

Staff implement a sequenced curriculum that supports all children to make good progress. Children develop useful skills in readiness for school. They concentrate well and keenly explore a wide range of interesting items, including cardboard tubes, feathers and pine cones. At the inspection, two-year-old children focused well on activities. For example, one child repeatedly placed small wooden hoops on a mug tree, while another shone a torch through tubes to create light in different ways. Staff are particularly skilled at extending children's vocabulary. They introduce new words that build on what children already know and repeat and reinforce these as children play.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, changes to the environment and a focus on staff training and professional development have improved safety and the quality of care and education. The manager makes good use of a newly introduced management system to observe staff practice and provide useful feedback on their performance. Although not embedded, this system is beginning to help to identify where further training is needed, so staff practice continues to improve. The manager increasingly consults with staff, parents and children to help evaluate practice. n Staff place a strong focus on developing children's speaking, listening and literacy skills. Babies and children keenly enter cosy, calm areas to look at books and talk to other children. They help themselves to crayons and pens to draw and make marks and some of their emergent writing is displayed. n Children develop well physically. Each week, staff provide activities which focus

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need to do better?

on developing a different physical skill. Children climb on the frame, run in the garden and balance well on equipment, which helps to develop their large- muscle skills. They develop small-muscle skills and good hand-to-eye coordination through activities, such as stacking wooden blocks. n Staff promote good health and hygiene practice. Children sing a special song which reminds them to wash their hands regularly. Children talk about healthy eating while they cut fruit for their snack. Children have access to their

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need to do better?

13 January 2022 comforters from home, such as blankets and dummies, which helps them to feel emotionally secure. Staff sterilise dummies quickly if they fall to the floor to ensure they are clean and store them safely when not in use. n Children have secure attachments to staff in their room and seek them out when they need reassurance. Each child has a key person who knows them well. Children use pictures of their favourite books, toys and foods, to talk about their families and what makes them unique. They enjoy some craft activities linked to calendar events, such as Chinese New Year. However, there are few opportunities for children to learn about people, families and communities beyond their experience to prepare them for life in modern Britain. n Staff communicate well with parents when they collect their children. They make increasingly good use of telephone meetings to share more detailed information

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need to do better?

about children's progress and development. Parents comment that their children are happy to attend, and they are provided with ideas to support learning at home. When children start, staff obtain and make good use of information about children's routines and interests to help them settle in. However, they obtain little information about what children already know and can do at home to support a swift assessment of their abilities. n Staff work effectively with other settings and professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They agree ways to support children's development and manage children's behaviour to ensure consistency.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Since the last inspection, staff have improved their knowledge of safeguarding. All staff have been trained on a range of issues, including radicalisation, extremism and female genital mutilation. They recognise the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and know how to report concerns. Risk assessments are carried out regularly to ensure the environment is safe and suitable for children. Food preparation areas are kept clean, and food is stored correctly with labels that provide information on allergens and the date that items were frozen. Cleaning products are labelled and stored securely. Electrical items are tested regularly and following a fire safety risk assessment, the toaster is now only used in the kitchen.

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should:

n embed the newly implemented performance management of staff system and develop links with staff training and development to help raise the quality of teaching and learning to a high level n make greater use of what parents know about their children to identify children's starting points and support ongoing assessment

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should:

13 January 2022 n enhance opportunities for children to learn about people, families and communities and help them to recognise similarities and differences between themselves and others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY555652 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 10204923 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 36 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Menzies, Heather Louise

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reference number

Telephone number 01704564319 Date of previous inspection 13 July 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Sunflowers registered in 2018. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 2, eight at level 3 and two at level 4. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.45am to 5.45pm, all year. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n The inspector held discussions with staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of the nursery's documents. This included evidence about staff suitability and training. n The inspector viewed the provision taking place in the baby room and two-year- old children's room. At the time of inspection, the pre-school room was closed due to COVID-19 so the provision for three- and four-year-old children was not viewed.

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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

13 January 2022 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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