Yellow Wellies

Inspection of Yellow Wellies 9 Kensington, Cockton Hill Road, BISHOP AUCKLAND, County Durham DL14 6HX

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders are passionate about early childhood education. They focus on what a child is already capable of and consider their all-round needs. Children bound through the door and happily wave goodbye to their parents. When they are engaged in activities that capture their interest, they show positive attitudes towards their learning. Pre-school children pretend to cut and style one another's hair. Toddlers enjoy messy play with sand and paint. They enjoy story times, which are repeated to help them to learn and remember new words.

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The provision requires improvement

Babies are well cared for by staff who know their individual needs. They learn to balance and walk using the low-level furniture and push-along toys. They show that they feel safe and secure, moving around the rooms with confidence. Older children have lots of space to play. However, this sometimes means that staff are not close by to support and extend children's learning experiences.

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The provision requires improvement

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges due to staff turnover and absences. Although the nursery has remained open and staff ratios have been maintained, leaders acknowledge that there has been an impact on the quality of practice. Children are not supported well enough by all staff to make the progress of which they are capable.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are able to describe a broad and balanced curriculum intended to promote children's learning. However, this is not delivered consistently. Leaders are aware that some staff need support to improve their skills. They have introduced arrangements for more knowledgeable and experienced staff to mentor those who are less effective. However, weaknesses in teaching remain. n Some two-year-old and pre-school children and are very independent learners. However, staff do not provide challenge in their play to help them to learn even more. Other children are less engaged in play and wander between activities and rooms. Although children are in sight or hearing of staff, staff are often not close by to provide the support that children need in their learning. n Interactions between staff and children are variable. Some staff support children's learning well. For example, they explain activities, model new skills

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need to do better?

and talk to children as they play. However, others simply supervise children during play and routines, and interactions are weak and few. n Despite weaknesses in teaching, some children demonstrate very positive attitudes toward their learning. They work together to solve problems, make decisions and share ideas during play. n Some staff help to develop pre-school children's interests when children talked about their prior learning. For example, a child shares her knowledge about

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need to do better?

7 April 2022 dwarf planets. Staff provide torches to help children to learn more about light, dark and shadows. n Some parts of the nursery day are disorganised. Staff do not give children consistent instructions and guidance. Their expectations of children differ across parts of their day. Some children become restless while waiting for the next part of their day. That said, children's behaviour is good overall. n Although there is a key-person system in place, staff are not always deployed well enough to help children to form secure attachments. This is particularly true for children who are new to the setting. However, generally, children are cared for by staff who are familiar to them. They approach staff for comfort when they are upset, for example by raising their arms to be picked up. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for. Staff know their individual needs and work closely with parents and other

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need to do better?

professionals. This joined-up approach helps to ensure that activities and routines benefit children and help them to learn and develop. n Staff teach children about ways to stay safe and healthy. Children have plenty of opportunities for exercise. They run up and down ramps, and balance on blocks and beams. They talk about slipping hazards when it starts to rain outdoors. n Parents' feedback about the nursery is extremely positive. They praise the welcoming staff and say, 'As a parent and for a child, there is nothing staff won't do'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a very good understanding of their responsibility to safeguard children. Staff know about the different kinds of abuse where children may be at risk and they know how to identify them. Regular training and updates help them to understand about wider aspects of safeguarding. This includes how to protect children from extreme views and behaviours, and staying safe online. There are clear procedures to follow if staff are concerned about a child's welfare. Accidents are recorded and monitored to highlight any recurring patterns. Alongside risk assessments, this helps to identify hazards and keep children safe in the nursery.

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Due date

deploy staff effectively to ensure that children's needs are met at all times across the nursery. 15/04/2022

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should:

n ensure that all staff understand how to provide a challenging curriculum that helps children to build on their knowledge and skills n focus on improving staff's teaching to help them to interact more effectively with children and raise the quality of education to consistently good levels n review and improve routines to ensure that staff have consistent expectations that support children's good behaviour and positive engagement n strengthen the key-person system to ensure that all children develop secure attachments and that their emotional well-being is supported to the highest levels.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2587403 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10225979 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 88 Name of registered person Daypark Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01388 603862 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Yellow Wellies registered in 2020 and is located in the Bishop Auckland area of Durham. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The nursery employs 18 childcare staff. Of these, 16 hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3 or above, including two with qualified teacher status and one with a level 8 qualification. 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 setting has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider, managers and staff and have taken that into account in the evaluation of the setting. n Managers showed inspectors around the nursery and talked about how the nursery is organised and about the curriculum. n Inspectors observed the quality of teaching both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The provider and managers met with inspectors to discuss leadership and management of the setting. Inspectors looked at relevant documents provided, including evidence of the suitability checks carried out on staff and their qualifications. n An inspector completed a joint observation with one of the leaders. n Inspectors spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. They spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of

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Inspection activities

the views of others, from written feedback provided.

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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

7 April 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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