Lilliput Farm Day Nursery powered by Welcome Nurseries Limited

Inspection of Lilliput Farm Day Nursery powered by Welcome Nurseries Limited Lilliput Farm Day Nursery, Big Hind Heath Farm, Hind Heath Road, SANDBACH CW11 3LZ

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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

This is a large nursery that has recently had to reduce the numbers of children it cares for due to a reduction in childcare staff. The children who remain attending are happy and settled in their age-appropriate group rooms. They are cared for by a small, consistent staff team. The children are greeted at the front doors by staff as parents are not able to go into the nursery due to COVID-19 precautions. Most children confidently come in, but those who are unsettled get reassuring cuddles from a member of staff who they know well.

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The provision is good

All children have regular opportunities to play in the extensive gardens. They develop their physical abilities on climbing equipment, and successfully negotiate the undulating ground. They continue to develop an understanding of topics they have been learning about inside. For example, children take on the role of being a firefighter, dragging the hoses to where a 'fire' needs to be put out. They continue to hunt for and carefully handle the minibeasts. Fun games that are linked to children's interests make learning enjoyable. Children in all rooms enjoy the activities that staff plan for them. They concentrate and enthusiastically join in at group times. Younger pre-school children are encouraged to make marks and enjoy drawing their own police badges. Older pre-school children develop an understanding of letters and the sounds that represent them, and some proudly start to write their names.

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need to do better?

n The manager and senior leadership team do not shy away from making tough decisions. When staff numbers dropped and they were unable to recruit enough high-quality replacement staff, managers decided that the numbers of children needed to be reduced. This was to ensure that any children that continued to attend the nursery received a good quality of care. n Children are very well behaved. Even older babies are kind and considerate to their friends. For example, they carefully take a comfort toy back to their friend when they find it. Staff reiterate the rules to pre-school children using picture cards. Children are very clear about the rules of, for example, using kind hands, indoor voices and taking turns. They have a very good understanding of why the rules are necessary to support everyone to be happy and able to learn. n There is a well-sequenced curriculum. This starts in the baby room, extends

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need to do better?

through the toddler room and culminates with the pre-school children being ready for the move on to school. For example, a key ability that the children need in the Reception class is to sit at carpet time and interact with the teacher and fellow pupils. The pre-school children demonstrate that they can listen intently to stories and respond to the questions posed by staff. Staff have developed this ability from the baby room. Older babies enjoy interactive stories

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need to do better?

Limited 4 May 2022 and song times. They concentrate well. Toddlers continue to develop their ability and vocabulary, enjoying more-complex songs and stories. Staff understand that repetition is key to building children's abilities and understanding. n Children are enthusiastic about undertaking the activities provided. Staff use children's interests and build on them to expand their horizons and abilities. For example, worms found in a garden are the trigger to introduce more minibeasts to the children. Craft activities develop children's ability to make marks and their use of numbers as they make a spider with eight legs. However, some activities are not organised well enough to ensure that staff can fully implement the planned learning intentions. n Staff place a strong emphasis on developing children's communication and social skills. Children in all rooms are very confident. They are strong communicators

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need to do better?

and confidently express their wishes. They happily talk to visitors and are curious as well as courteous. n Children, from a young age, have very good table manners. Staff teach the children from toddler age to use knives and forks, and they competently pour their own drinks. Mealtimes are social, happy occasions. Children politely ask for second helpings. Meals are freshly prepared and take account of children's individual dietary needs. One child confidently told the inspector that she was a vegetarian. n The nursery manager feels well supported by her small staff team and the senior leadership team from the parent company. Staff are supported by the regional managers and the company's human resources team. They have opportunities to undertake a wide range of training courses. Staff say they enjoy working at the nursery and feel there is a good team spirit. n Staff use a range of methods to exchange information with parents. This

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need to do better?

includes online portals, paper diaries, open mornings and discussions at the beginning and end of the day. However, this is not entirely successful in ensuring that all parents feel fully informed about their children's learning and how they can extend this at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff recognise their individual responsibility to keep children safe and what would constitute a safeguarding concern about a child or a colleague. They understand the need to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to protect children they may be concerned about. The management team deploy staff well to ensure that appropriate child-to-adult ratios are maintained. Twelve of the 13 staff have first-aid training and food hygiene training. This supports their understanding of how to keep children safe and what to do in an emergency.

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should:

Limited 4 May 2022 n support staff to review the organisation of some activities to ensure the learning intentions can be fully implemented n continue to develop ways to communicate with parents, so all are fully informed about their children's learning and how to extend it at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2611746 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 10230770 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 176 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person Welcome Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01270762208 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Lilliput Farm Day Nursery registered in 2020 and is located in the Sandbach area of Cheshire. It is one of a number of nurseries run by Welcome Nurseries Limited. The nursery employs 13 members of staff. Of these, seven hold a level 3 qualification and two hold a level 2 qualification. The nursery employs a cook and administrator. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, except for a week between Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 her evaluation of the provider. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed two joint observations of adult-led learning activities and discussed a further activity that children took part in. They discussed how the teaching observed linked into the learning intentions for the children, and how successfully the learning intentions were implemented. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided. She assessed the impact these activities had on children's learning. She completed a learning walk with the manager to discuss how the curriculum is planned and implemented. n The inspector held two meetings with the provider and the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. Staff explained why they were undertaking some activities and how they worked with individual children. n A number of parents and family members spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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

Limited 4 May 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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