Little Dolphins Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Dolphins Day Nursery 56 Lessness Avenue, BEXLEYHEATH, Kent DA7 5SJ

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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 Good

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, children are confident and settled. Babies benefit from warm, sensitive relationships with adults, Older children have good attachments with their key person. However, the individual needs of older children who are settling are sometimes not met.

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The provision requires improvement

Babies and children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills in a well-organised outdoor area. For example, younger children use their feet to manoeuvre a bike in and out of the cones, and older children manipulate syringes to squirt water. Overall, children are independent. For example, babies use a small sink at the table to wash their own hands, and toddlers serve their own food. However, older children do not have consistent opportunities to practise their skills.

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The provision requires improvement

On the whole, children demonstrate good levels of concentration and engagement and explore their environment with curiosity. However, sometimes the environment for older children is disorganised. As a result, children become disengaged and this has an impact on their learning. Children are developing a love of books and benefit from well-resourced book areas, indoors and outdoors. For example, children select books for adults to read and talk about the pictures.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are well behaved overall. For example, older children are beginning to understand right and wrong and remind their friends to be kind. However, on occasion, staff's expectations of younger children's behaviour are not age- and stage-appropriate.

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need to do better?

n Staff have developed good relationships with children. They know what children can do and what they need to learn next. However, the key-person system is not consistently used to ensure that all staff meet children's individual needs, especially when they are settling into the nursery. n Staff hold respectful conversations with children. For example, they encourage children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff use positive language to teach children to understand boundaries. However, this is not always consistent and has an impact on younger children's emotional development. n Staff interaction is good overall. For example, staff introduce new vocabulary, such as 'starfish', and ask interesting questions. This develops children's thinking and speaking skills. n Staff celebrate children's successes. For example, they clap with the children when they fill a sand mould and they praise them when they share with their

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need to do better?

friends. This develops children's self-esteem.

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need to do better?

23 March 2022 n Staff supervise children well overall. However, staff deployment is not always well planned in the pre-school to ensure that the learning environment is organised. For example, staff do not notice when there are toys on the floor, or encourage children to help to tidy these up. n Staff in the baby room read enthusiastically to children. Babies point to pictures and help to turn the pages of the books. Staff use such activities well to help develop babies' communication and language skills. n Leaders have systems in place for induction, staff supervision and training. However, these are not robust enough to ensure all staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities, including for implementing the curriculum and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, leaders do take swift action to ensure specialist support is in place for children with SEND.

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need to do better?

n The majority of staff understand how children learn. For example, some staff give good explanations and sensitively correct any misunderstandings children have about their learning. However, other staff are not as consistent in their interactions, which has an impact on children's learning. n Leaders have systems in place to gather information about the languages that children speak at home. However, this knowledge is not consistent in further developing children's acquisition of English. n On the whole, staff provide a range of stimulating opportunities for children indoors and outdoors. However, such opportunities are variable at certain parts of the day, which further affects children's behaviour at these times. n Leaders have effective systems in place to communicate children's progress with parents. For example, parents regularly contribute to their children's learning at nursery. This ensures continuity of learning for children at the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff understand how to identify and report a child protection concern and/or an allegation made against a member of staff. Staff understand and implement safeguarding policies and procedures and access relevant training. The manager has effective systems to assess the ongoing suitability of staff. The manager is aware of their responsibility regarding the 'Prevent' duty and other relevant safeguarding issues such as female genital mutilation. The manager has effective systems in place to manage accidents, and the manager and staff hold current paediatric first-aid certificates.

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Due date

23 March 2022 develop the key-person system further to ensure that all children are fully supported when settling into the nursery and to encourage their independence and good behaviour consistently 25/05/2022

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Due date

develop supervision and training to ensure all staff understand their roles and responsibilities for implementing the curriculum 25/05/2022

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Due date

ensure staff deployment is effective in meeting children's individual learning needs. 25/05/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY498121 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10230847 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 31 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Little Dolphins Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 312 1919 Date of previous inspection 4 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Dolphins Day Nursery opened in 2013 and re-registered in 2015. It is situated in Bexleyheath, in the London Borough of Bexley. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. It is in receipt of funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications at levels 2, 3 and 5.

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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, deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together at lunchtime. n Several parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection and she took account of their views. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following

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Inspection activities

information we received about the provider.

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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

23 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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