Blackberry House Day Nursery (Peterborough)

Inspection of Blackberry House Day Nursery (Peterborough) Park Farm Crescent, Stanground, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 8XA

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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 arrive confidently as staff take them into their room after speaking with their parents or carers at the door. Children express and communicate their needs well. For example, older children tell staff if they feel happy or sad by giving 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' gestures. They are delighted to 'high 10' staff when they say they feel happy. Babies take staff's hands and say 'come' as they show them what they want.

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The provision is good

Children's communication and language development is supported well. Babies love books and try to find where the 'bear' is in the story. Toddlers learn new vocabulary as new activities are introduced. For example, they draw 'pancakes' and are introduced to real items in their farm shop, such as potatoes and lemons. Some pre-school children are very articulate and show amazing confidence as they stand up alone and sing and dance in front of their friends.

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The provision is good

Children behave well, especially when they are highly engaged in their activities indoors and out. They show concern for others. For example, an older child suggests one of her friends may just be feeling shy when staff comment that they are quiet today. Babies know that their shoes go in a special basket and are keen to ensure that visitor's shoes are placed there too.

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need to do better?

n Babies have lovely attachments with staff and show they feel comfortable and safe in their care. There is lots of space for babies to move around as they practise their growing physical skills. Toddlers explore different farm animals and the noises they make. They love finding toy horses hidden in a tray of hay. n Staff have good knowledge of the children they care for and what it is they intend children to learn. Activities are planned in each room to reflect children's interests and individual learning needs. Staff build successfully on what children already know. For example, a pre-school child is praised for using the word 'ingredient' and the member of staff confirms that the child understands what it means by giving a simple explanation. However, sometimes, staff follow routines rather than respond to what may best support a child's emotional security in that moment, for example, when a child wants or needs a specific member of

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need to do better?

staff they have become particularly attached to. n Pre-school children benefit from rich-learning opportunities when they work in smaller groups and have free-flow access to side rooms and the outdoors. When this happens, children show high levels of engagement and staff interactions are of good quality. Outside, children make 'chocolate milk' from muddy puddles and toss bark chipping 'pancakes' in frying pans. This shows great imagination and physical coordination. Additionally, children benefit from a forestry and nature

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need to do better?

1 March 2022 area where they learn to take supervised risks and to explore. However, large- group times in the pre-school room are not always well organised. Children become easily distracted and the learning is not as rich as during other times of the day. n Children enjoy balanced and varied meals or a packed lunch from home. Their individual dietary and allergen requirements are respected. Alternatives are offered if children dislike what is offered. Children's nappies are changed according to their individual needs. n Staff say they feel their professional development and well-being is very well supported by managers and senior management. Monthly supervisions give regular opportunities to review and reflect on practice and to identify any relevant training needs. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language is good. Staff strive to ensure that

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need to do better?

these children get the early years education they deserve. n Feedback from parents is very positive. Parents of older children feel their children have been well prepared for school through their attendance at this nursery. Managers and staff worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to offer good levels of support to children and their families. n Complaints procedures are robustly followed. Accident records are maintained appropriately. These records are shared with parents as well as by phone if felt necessary.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding procedures are robust. Managers communicate effectively with outside professionals involved with children. Staff have good knowledge about the signs and symptoms of abuse and/or neglect, as well as about wider safeguarding issues. Those staff with additional safeguarding responsibilities have had appropriate training for the role and understand how to refer any concerns they or the staff may have about a child or a colleague. Regular training keeps staff's safeguarding knowledge up to date. Recruitment procedures are robust to ensure that only those suitable to work with children, do so.

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should:

n consider ways to better help children with times of transition throughout the day so that they feel an even greater sense of security and emotional well-being n improve the organisation of large-group times in the pre-school room to ensure that children receive the same rich-learning opportunities during this time as they do at other times in the day.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY451143 Local authority Peterborough Inspection number 10226704 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 100 Number of children on roll 101

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Name of registered person

Blackberries Childcare (Peterborough) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01733 566700 Date of previous inspection 5 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Blackberry House Day Nursery (Peterborough) registered in 2013. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 3 to 6. One member of staff holds qualified teaching status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round except for one week at Christmas. 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 provider 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 provision. n This inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment following information received about the provision. n The manager, room leaders and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of

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Inspection activities

staff working in the nursery. n A number of parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection and the inspector 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

1 March 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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