Playmates II

Inspection of Playmates II 55-57 Murray Street, HARTLEPOOL, Cleveland TS26 8PQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy their time in this safe, welcoming and friendly setting. All staff are consistently kind and respectful towards children. However, on some occasions, they provide activities without having a clear purpose for what they want the children to learn. That said, some staff's interactions with children are good and activities are interesting. For instance, toddlers explore sand, and older children blow bubbles in paint and make prints from them. Children develop secure emotional attachments with staff. Children behave well and are polite. Staff act as positive role models. They provide guidance and effective strategies to promote children's positive behaviour and well-being.

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The provision requires improvement

Older children have good imaginations. They chop carrots, pasta and potatoes and make dinner for staff. This helps to develop children's imagination and small- muscle skills. Children feel secure with staff. They sit with them to share books, choosing their own books and turning the pages as the adult reads.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They provide routines, which are adapted to meet the individual needs of the child. For example, staff know when children need to take time away from large groups and provide other areas for children to explore.

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need to do better?

n The quality of education is inconsistent. Some staff working with children do not understand what the learning intent is for individual children or how to teach this effectively. On some occasions, they provide activities without having a clear purpose for what they want the children to learn. For example, staff in the baby room do not link a painting activity with the next steps for the children involved. As a result, not all children make consistently good progress in their development. n The leadership team consider staff's well-being. They carry out regular supervision meetings to check that staff are well supported. However, the leadership team do not focus on raising the quality of teaching during supervisions meetings. This means that the quality of teaching delivered is not consistently good. n Opportunities for children to express themselves during arts and craft activities are sometimes restricted. For example, children take part in a creative activity.

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need to do better?

However, staff provide pre-drawn pictures and shapes. This means that children do not have the opportunity to express their own artistic ideas or creativity. n Children's physical development is well supported. For example, older children enjoy being physically active in the fresh air. They run, ride on scooters and climb on wooden logs in the outdoor area. Young children climb, run and jump

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need to do better?

29 March 2022 in the soft play area. This helps to develop their coordination and balancing skills. Toddlers build with small construction and roll balls through plastic pipes. Furthermore, older children experiment using pipettes and scissors. This helps to develop the skills needed for early writing. n Staff swiftly seek support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with other professionals to ensure that children's individual needs are met. Staff listen and respond well to the communication from non-verbal children. In addition, staff work closely with parents of those children who are learning English as an additional language. They support children by learning key words in their home language. This helps children to feel secure and to develop their speech and language. n Parents are positive about the setting. They know what their child is learning. Staff share ideas about how children's learning can be further supported at

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need to do better?

home. Staff gather information about children's starting points from parents. Parents say that they are 'really happy' with the setting. n Staff are positive role models. They offer regular praise and encouragement. This helps to boost children's self-esteem. Staff give clear, consistent rules and expectations for behaviour. They encourage children to share and take turns. Where children need additional support, staff provide gentle reminders. This helps children to develop a sense of right and wrong. n Children follow appropriate hygiene routines throughout out the day. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before snack. Staff speak to children about healthy eating, exercise and oral hygiene. This helps children to develop an understanding of how to keep healthy.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The leadership team has taken significant steps to make improvements to the setting since the last inspection. For example, they have worked hard to address the safeguarding and welfare requirements actions previously raised. Staff have attended a number of safeguarding courses to help address gaps in their knowledge. They have a good understanding of the nursery's safeguarding policy, including how to raise concerns about a child's welfare. All staff understand the procedures they need to follow if an allegation is made against a staff member. Staff are aware of the 'Prevent' duty, female genital mutilation and county lines.

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Due date

29 March 2022 ensure staff understand the curriculum intent so that all activities are tailored to individual children's needs so they can make the best possible progress. 20/05/2022

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should:

n further develop supervision sessions to reflect on the quality of practice, in order to raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level n extend opportunities for children to express and represent their own artistic ideas and creativity in planned activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY280880 Local authority Hartlepool Borough Inspection number 10212926 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 104 Number of children on roll 146 Name of registered person Playmates Private Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01429 272500 Date of previous inspection 6 October 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Playmates II registered in 2004. The nursery employs 26 members of childcare staff. Of these, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one member of staff with a level 5 qualification. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, apart from bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.45pm. 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 deputy managers, manager and inspectors completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the deputy manager. n Children spoke to the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector through written feedback.

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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

29 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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Inspection activities

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