Meadow View

Inspection of Meadow View Appleby Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 6PP

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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 receive a warm welcome on arrival from the kind and nurturing staff, who know them well. All children, including those new to the nursery and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, build close relationships with their key person. Children show they are happy, safe and secure. For example, younger babies contentedly snuggle into staff when feeding. Older children affectionately sit close to staff while reading books and singing favourite songs. Young children seek and receive comfort, reassurance and loving care. Children are familiar with the nursery rules. They are well behaved, manage their feelings effectively and are considerate to one another.

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The provision is good

Children relish opportunities to play outdoors in the unique play areas on offer. They particularly enjoy visits to the woodland area. Children listen to staff's instructions to keep themselves safe as they leave the nursery. They hold their partner's hand as they follow the bear paw prints on the ground. As they walk, children see familiar members of the community garden and say hello as they pass. On arrival, children explain the safety rules with exact precision. Staff encourage conversations about the natural environment and how to look after it. Children sing favourite songs and then search for the bears who are hidden in trees, on stumps and in bushes. They work together to problem solve to achieve their goal and they enthusiastically count how many they have as they retrieve them. Children learn to take risks as they play and enjoy being physically active. For example, children confidently scramble up rope ladders and tree stumps. They take turns using rope

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The provision is good

swings and learn to move themselves back and forth.

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The provision is good

Indoors, children delight in testing out their early design skills. For example, they use natural materials to create a straw house and outdoors children confidently build towers to see how high they can reach. Children engage well in purposeful play. They are confident talkers and engage well in conversations with visiting adults.

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need to do better?

n The nursery benefits from a dedicated and experienced manager. She has a good overview of the curriculum and knows exactly what they want children to learn. The manager and staff work well together as a team to move the nursery forward and implement continuous improvement. Staff say that they feel valued, supported and included. The manager observes and feeds back to staff, enabling them to reflect on their performance. This is revisited during supervision meetings. Staff professional development opportunities are supported through online platforms. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support.

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need to do better?

19 January 2022 Managers and staff quickly identify gaps in children's learning and implement strategies swiftly to support individual needs. They access external services, such as speech and language support and other health professionals, to initiate targeted support. This helps to narrow any gaps in children's development. n Staff work well in partnership with parents. Parents comment positively on staff's ongoing communication and how they keep them updated about their child's development and learning. Parents speak highly of the nursery and praise the care that their children receive. They particularly mention the fantastic outdoor provision and how children access this in all weathers. n In the main, children are encouraged to be independent in managing their self- care needs and learning the importance of good hygiene. However, there are opportunities not fully utilised by staff to support children to build on their

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need to do better?

independence skills even further. For example, tissues are not accessible to children. Therefore, they are not learning some basic hygiene skills, such as wiping their own nose or how to do this for themselves. In addition, occasionally, some children are not supported to learn how to fasten up their coats and not given the opportunity to try to do this by themselves. n Staff promote the benefits of eating healthy food and having plenty of fresh air and exercise. This helps children understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Staff embed this learning during activities. For example, while they make modelling dough, they teach children how some foods are not good for them and not good for their teeth. Children follow recipes and competently measure out the ingredients. They enjoy these experiences and giggle with delight when the mixture sticks to their hands. Staff manage to incorporate a number of learning areas into activities and constantly embed this learning to

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need to do better?

ensure children have a good grasp before moving them on. n Overall, staff are effective in supporting children's speaking and listening skills well. For example, they provide a narrative of what the children are doing and sensitively engage them in conversations during their play. However, occasionally, staff do not challenge children's thinking to help encourage them to solve problems and come up with their own ideas for themselves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good awareness of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children and keeping them safe. Staff access training that helps to develop a broad knowledge of safeguarding matters. They know how, when and who to refer concerns to or seek advice in line with their local child protection procedures. Staff have regular opportunities to discuss child protection issues and wider aspects of safeguarding, such as radicalisation and extremist views. Managers follow robust recruitment and induction processes that help to ensure the suitability of adults working with children. Staff ensure that the premises are safe for children. For example, the fence panels damaged due to the recent bad weather have been replaced and the area is risk assessed.

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should:

n strengthen staff's practice in creating more opportunities to challenge children's thinking, and encourage children to solve problems and come up with their own ideas for themselves n extend opportunities to help children improve their independence skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY562463 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10191070 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 40 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Little Skittles Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01539722888 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Meadow View registered in 2018 and is one of three privately owned childcare settings. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the manager with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 5.45pm. 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 the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager accompanied the inspector on a learning walk of the setting. She discussed the curriculum they provide and how this is arranged with the inspector. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and they discussed the impact of teaching on children's learning. n A number of parents spoke to the inspector and their views were taken into account. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including the suitability of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector held discussions with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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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

19 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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