Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Tunbridge Wells

Inspection of Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Tunbridge Wells 32-34 St. Johns Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9NT

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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 throughout the nursery spend most of their day smiling and laughing. All children form very good bonds with staff and settle well. They develop confidence to explore their environment, helping them to become independent learners.

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The provision is good

Children very enthusiastically join in activities. Older children enjoy challenges such as working out how to compare written numbers to the weights on scales during cooking activities. They use the learning they have gained over time to speak confidently about ingredients and cooking processes. Younger children make good use of the space and resources provided to develop their mobility. They learn through exploration and discovery, for example as they play with sand and water.

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The provision is good

Children learn about the wider world through a range of experiences, including petting lambs and guinea pigs that visit the nursery. They also take part in activities that focus on the experiences of others, such as traditional Spanish life.

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The provision is good

There is a strong focus on supporting children's social skills and they behave very well. Children share toys as they play and develop patience to wait for their turn when necessary.

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The provision is good

All children progress well in their learning and development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work effectively with other relevant professionals to provide coordinated teaching and care to meet children's individual needs.

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need to do better?

n The leadership and management of the nursery is strong. The senior leadership team recognises and celebrates the skills and commitment of the manager and staff team. Staff morale is high, creating a very positive atmosphere. This is supported further by the arrangements in place to monitor and support staff well-being. n Staff work closely with parents to gain an understanding of each child's individual interests, abilities and any specific care or learning needs. Parents provide very positive feedback about the service they receive. They feel that communication is good and that their children are progressing well. n The environment is well maintained and inviting. There is a current focus on increasing the range of natural resources to encourage children to explore and discover. These resources very successfully capture children's interests and extend their learning and enjoyment. n Staff promote children's language well. Those working with the babies use clear

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need to do better?

vocabulary and animated facial expressions to encourage children's first words.

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need to do better?

29 March 2022 Toddlers confidently begin to put words together and use their developing language to express themselves. Older children take part in lively conversations and have the communication skills they need to progress well in their education. n There are experiences available throughout the nursery to support all areas of learning. Children benefit from lots of active play indoors and outside. They develop good coordination as they use tools and enjoy regular yoga and dance sessions. Children choose to spend a lot of time looking at books and making marks to develop their writing skills. Staff teach children a range of techniques which they use to create individual artwork. n Staff working with the youngest children create a very warm, caring atmosphere. They spend much of their time on the floor interacting directly with children, supporting their learning and development. Children's care needs are

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need to do better?

understood and met well overall. However, although nappy changing arrangements are hygienic, changing units are located within group rooms and are clearly visible. This does not support children to develop an early awareness of their personal privacy. n Although teaching is strong, activities are not consistently planned as effectively as possible, particularly for the older children. Some activities are so popular that it is difficult for staff to include all children well. This means that they are not able to focus fully on ensuring that each child receives the appropriate level of challenge. Staff give good consideration to the resources that they need and prepare these well. However, they do not always set up activities in areas that allow children to concentrate, as noise levels from other, equally exciting, activities are sometimes high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff complete regular child protection training and there are effective arrangements to check that their knowledge remains up to date. All staff understand their individual responsibilities to keep children safe. They know the procedures to follow if any concerns arise about children's welfare or in the event of an allegation against a colleague. Appropriate checks are completed on all staff and their ongoing suitability and well-being are monitored.

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should:

n improve the arrangements for nappy changing to provide greater privacy for children n support staff to more fully consider practical issues, including group sizes and noise levels, to enhance the effectiveness of activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2622101 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10231428 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 94 Number of children on roll 94 Name of registered person Tunbridge Wells Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01892 278446 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Tunbridge Wells registered in 2021. It is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday all year round. There are 16 staff, 10 of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged three and four years.

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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 provider. n The manager led the inspector on a tour of the premises and explained the intent behind educational programmes. n The inspector spoke to managers, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interaction of staff and children during a range of activities and completed a joint observation with the manager. n The views of parents were obtained through discussion and written feedback provided for the inspection. n A range of relevant documentation was scrutinised.

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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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