Blossom Tree Day Nursery

Inspection of Blossom Tree Day Nursery Pineham Village Neighbourhood Centre, Dragonfly Way, Pineham Village, Northampton NN4 9EH

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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 show that they are happy at nursery. Staff welcome children when they arrive and sensitively support those who are upset when their parents leave. The time taken by staff to help children settle when they arrive promotes children's feelings of being safe, their well-being and builds trust. Consequently, the relationships between children and staff are positive. Children who are 18 months old approach staff with books and clearly indicate that they want the staff to read to them. Toddlers are pleased to see their friends when they get up after a sleep. Pre-school children call across the room to staff and their friends to show their paintings and ask friends to join them.

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The provision is good

Children respond well to the high expectations staff have for their behaviour and learning. Children are eager to join in with the activities and they enjoy the staff's positive involvement with them as they play. This positive interaction with staff contributes to children's learning. Staff have a consistent approach and children listen when staff remind them to be kind to their friends and to use their 'walking feet' indoors. Staff know the children well. They understand where children are in their learning and plan purposeful activities. For example, staff offer messy play experiences after they notice that some children are less confident to explore different textures. Children develop confidence to try new experiences with encouragement and reassurance from staff.

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need to do better?

n The provider works closely with the manager, and they have correctly identified and prioritised areas for improvement in the nursery. This effective oversight results in a clear vision for the future of the nursery. The manager works well with the staff. She supports and motivates them effectively to be confident in their interactions with children. The provider and manager have found it difficult to recruit suitable staff since the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing staff are encouraged to complete training to continue their professional development. n Staff help children to learn to be independent. They build on children's skills that help them be ready to start school when the time comes. Babies and toddlers can choose freely from toys and books they are interested in. Staff plan activities such as arts and crafts and drawing where children make their own decisions about what they create. With support, pre-school children become adept at

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need to do better?

serving their own lunch and carrying their plate and cutlery to the table. n Most parents speak very positively about their and their children's experiences at nursery. They comment how effective the staff are at settling their children in when they start attending and how they like the regular communication they receive about their child's development. However, some parents feel that they do not receive sufficient detail about their child individually to help them

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need to do better?

17 January 2022 understand what they have done during the day and what they have been learning. This limits the opportunity for parents to support their children's learning at home. n Children are curious, interested and motivated to join the activities provided. They benefit from the staff's interactions as they talk to them and help them to think about what they want to do next. Children are confident to initiate conversations with staff and make friends. They work together well, cooperating with one another during construction activities and sand play. n Overall, the nursery curriculum is planned effectively. Staff follow children's interests to help them build on what they know already and widen their experiences. Staff support and encourage children during their play to explore and extend their learning. However, although children do take part in regular outdoor play, the curriculum that staff plan for outdoors is currently less

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need to do better?

effective in helping those children who learn best outdoors, to take full advantage of learning opportunities. n Staff work closely with parents from the outset to find out about children's home life and experiences. This is then considered for the curriculum planning so that staff can broaden the experiences children have as part of their development, for example helping children to learn about communities and the wider world through celebrations of different festivals, such as Diwali. Children learn about traditional stories, they have time to explore dressing up-clothes and resources and they take part in arts and crafts, such as making Rangoli patterns linked to the festival.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate a suitable understanding of safeguarding and they know about the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know how to record and report any concerns to the designated safeguarding lead for the nursery. Management requires all staff to complete regular training to ensure their knowledge of safeguarding issues remains up to date. Risk assessments in the nursery are effective. The premises are secure and well maintained, which contributes to keeping children safe. Appropriate checking of staff at the point of employment and then ongoing, helps to ensure staff are and remain suitable to work with children.

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should:

n extend the partnerships with parents to ensure that all parents receive sufficiently detailed information about their own child's well-being and the activities they take part in during the day

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should:

17 January 2022 n focus more precisely on enhancing the curriculum for children's play and learning experiences outdoors.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2589559 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10213951 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 126 Number of children on roll 104 Name of registered person Blossom Tree Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01908686789 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Blossom Tree Day Nursery registered in 2020 and is managed by a limited company. It is situated in Pineham Village, Northampton. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold early years qualifications between levels 2 and 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. 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 setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspectors observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n One inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The manager and the inspectors completed a learning walk together. n The inspectors held a meeting with the nursery manager and the provider. They looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspectors spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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 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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