Smartys Little Stars Nursery

Inspection of Smartys Little Stars Nursery Tilling Drive, STONE, Staffordshire ST15 0AA

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children arrive happily at the nursery and separate from their families with ease. They quickly settle into the routine of the day and become engrossed in their play. Children develop very good relationships with staff. They feel safe and secure in the stimulating learning environment. The manager and staff make sure that they talk with families and children about what their lives are like outside the nursery, to help them to plan meaningful learning experiences.

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The provision is good

The structure of the day enables children to spend significant time outdoors to explore and investigate. Older children relish the opportunities of the outdoor forest environment. They are highly motivated learners. They look under logs to find a variety of insects to study with their magnifying glasses. Babies and toddlers are active learners, and they benefit from a well-designed curriculum to support their physical development.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy many sensory experiences. They can feel textures, explore the properties of sand and water, manipulate coloured balls in the ball pit, and watch the way lights change colour in the light tubes. Children are very confident, sociable and behaviour is excellent. Children learn the skills that they need and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff use their knowledge to plan a selection of exciting and engaging activities across the curriculum. Staff make ongoing assessments of children's achievements. Consequently, they know children well and understand their developmental needs and interests. n Staff are very positive role models to children. They have exceptionally high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff teach children the importance of being respectful to others and to say please and thank you. They welcome other children into their ongoing play, and they are happy to share resources. This develops children's self-esteem because they understand that they are valued, and their contributions are essential. n Staff are animated and confident in how they engage with children. They generate a fun atmosphere, which enables children to enjoy their learning. However, very occasionally, this means that staff introduce too many new ideas

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need to do better?

at the same time. As a result, some conversations and interactions with children are not developed as well as they could be. n Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work in close partnerships with a wide range of other professionals to put plans in place to support children to reach their full potential.

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need to do better?

21 April 2022 n Children develop a love of books when they listen to familiar stories. Staff read with enthusiasm, encouraging children to join in with words and phrases. Staff support children's emerging language skills well. They repeat and pronounce words correctly. Staff working with babies and toddlers use books and songs, and talk to them about what they are doing. n Staff teach children to be independent, such as learning to put their coat and shoes on and manage their personal hygiene. Staff provide children with healthy and nutritional snacks and meals that promote their good health. Children learn about the importance of eating vegetables and fruit and where they come from. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff share information with parents at drop off and collection times, and encourage them to view and add to children's online learning records. Parents appreciate the ideas staff share to help to

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need to do better?

support their children's learning at home. Each child's key person holds review meetings with parents to update them on their children's progress and next steps in learning. Parents report that they are happy with the service they receive. n The manager encourages her staff team to reflect on their practice. She constantly evaluates the nursery, and the team works together to make changes and drive improvement. Staff access regular training opportunities, which help them to have a secure understanding of early childhood development. Despite this, there are some minor variations in the quality of some aspects of teaching. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points in learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff prioritise safety and well-being at the nursery. All staff know potential signs that may mean a child is at risk. They can identify when there is a concern about a child's welfare and know what action to take to safeguard them. The staff are aware of their duty to prevent children from exposure to situations that may put them at significant risk of harm. They carry out rigorous risk assessments of the learning environment to remove any potential risks to help to keep children safe.

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should:

n build on plans for professional development to identify ways to help to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level, including developing further staff's interactions with children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY478854 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10219833 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 46 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person Smarty's Day Nursery (Stone) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01785 817974 Date of previous inspection 1 August 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Smartys Little Stars Nursery registered in 2014. The provider employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds a level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The provider receives funding to provide funded early education for two- and three-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 provider. n The inspector and the nursery manager completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation of an activity was carried out by the inspector and the nursery manager. n The inspector held discussions with staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of the provider's documents. This included evidence about suitability and training of staff. n A meeting was held between the inspector, the provider, and nursery leaders.

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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

21 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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