The Louisa Centre Nursery

Inspection of The Louisa Centre Nursery The Louisa Centre, Front Street, Stanley, Durham DH9 0TE

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children benefit from a very thoughtfully planned curriculum at this extremely welcoming and friendly nursery. Staff have a deep understanding of where children are in their development and how to support their future learning. They support children's personal, social and emotional development very well. Staff implement extremely flexible settling-in procedures and secure daily routines. This helps children to settle quickly and easily into nursery life. Staff help to raise children's confidence and self-esteem through praise and encouragement. Children's behaviour is excellent. They are very happy, settled and secure. Children have very warm, caring and enjoyable relationships with staff. They develop very strong bonds with their key person.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff plan outstanding support for children's physical development. They help to make children's learning challenging and enjoyable. Children develop their large muscles as they twist, roll and turn during activities in the large sports hall. They are encouraged to explore in bare feet to support their movement and balance. Young children are encouraged to develop their core strength while lying on their tummies. Older children balance on bikes and space hoppers. They take part in obstacle courses and jump from tree trunks during planned walks in the nearby woods. Children develop their smaller muscles, which helps to support their later skills such as early writing. They make their own play dough and explore with sand and water. Children practise mixing and stirring as they make their own birthday cake to share with their friends.

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need to do better?

n Children rapidly become independent and learn the importance of caring for themselves. Staff encourage children to drink from cups without lids and use spoons and forks to feed themselves by an early age. Staff support each family to join a dentist when they start at the setting. They have completed training on nutrition and portion sizes. This helps staff to provide children with extremely well-balanced and healthy meals. n Staff encourage children to share and take turns, for example through board games and matching activities. Children play collaboratively as they build towers from blocks. Staff help children to learn about fairness and to manage their feelings and emotions. For example, they support children to understand that they can enjoy games even though they might not always win. n Children benefit from highly innovative and interesting experiences that cover all areas of learning. For example, children develop their strength and coordination

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need to do better?

as they splatter paint onto paper with salad spinners. They learn about resistance and movement as they stir with paintbrushes in the sand. Staff encourage children to try new things and express their thoughts and ideas.

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need to do better?

16 February 2022 n Staff plan a wide range of activities to build on children's curiosity and inquisitive nature. Children investigate and experiment with a wide range of natural and tactile resources and materials. They explore cut flowers and real vegetables as they play outside in the enclosed garden. Older children use a range of tools as they investigate soil and petals. Young children explore with their senses as they experiment with a silk scarf as part of a small-group activity. Children are very enthusiastic, highly motivated and eager to learn. n There is a strong focus on building children's language and communication. Staff encourage children to develop a love of books and storytelling. Children are encouraged to join the nearby library, where they join in with storytelling sessions and meet visiting authors. Staff enhance children's experiences through the use of story sacks, songs and rhymes. Children's communication and

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need to do better?

language skills flourish. n Staff place an extremely strong focus on working with parents to support children's learning. They provide parents with packs to encourage them to try learning activities with children in their garden or local park. Parents feel fully involved and informed about their children's development and day. n Staff provide outstanding support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use verbal and visual prompts to help support children's understanding and communication. Staff use a tray of toys to help children choose where they would like to play next and what with, helping them to communicate their interests. n The nursery's knowledgeable and experienced manager provides very strong leadership and support to her well-qualified staff team. She uses a mentoring system to promote staff's well-being. The manager holds regular catch-up meetings with staff. These are held privately and individually to check on their

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need to do better?

welfare, and help identify and provide any support they need. n Staff use additional funding effectively to support children's communication and language skills. For example, children take part in specific speech and language programmes to help support them to develop speech sounds and early language. n Staff support children to take part in rich experiences beyond their own, such as baking, borrowing books from the library, trips out into the local area and nature walks in local woodland. n The manager and staff reflect very well on experiences for children and parents. They are dedicated to the continuous improvement of the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and her staff have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. They know what might concern them and the procedures to follow in order to keep children safe. The manager and staff keep themselves up to date with changes in legislation and broader aspects of safeguarding through regular training and networking events. They have a very strong awareness of how to keep children safe on a daily basis. For example, staff

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Safeguarding

16 February 2022 encourage children to be careful on the stairs, and to move safely around others as they run and jump in the large sports hall.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY559726 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10194123 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 42 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Durham County Council

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reference number

Telephone number 03000 262461 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Louisa Centre Nursery registered in 2018. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 5 and 14 hold qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. It 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 provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager discussed with the inspector how she and her staff organise and plan the curriculum and experiences for children. The inspector viewed the inside and outside space used by the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. The deputy manager and the inspector evaluated an activity together. n The inspector looked at a sample of the nursery's documents. This included evidence of the training and suitability of staff. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff. She spoke to a number of parents to gather their views on the nursery and took into account the written views of others.

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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

16 February 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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