The Pepperbox Nursery

Inspection of The Pepperbox Nursery The Pepperbox Nursery, Clink Road, Frome, Somerset BA11 2EQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children play happily together in the nursery. They feel safe and secure in the company of familiar, friendly staff. Staff know the children well and respond effectively to their needs. For example, staff know when older children are initially reluctant to enter the nursery. They use soothing language, ensuring an activity and comfort objects are in place as the child arrives. This helps children to regulate their emotions and settle quickly.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff plan well to ensure that children develop good physical skills as they progress through the nursery. For example, babies use the large open area indoors to develop their movement and toddling skills, and older children use the outdoor environment to run and complete circuits. Children behave well and staff support them to follow the nursery rules, such as having 'kind hands'. Staff act as positive role models. Staff share information through electronic communication to encourage all parents to be involved in their child's day at nursery. For example, they use language translation tools for parents who speak English as an additional language.

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The provision requires improvement

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are not currently entering the nursery. Staff recognise how this impacts children and parents, and they take time to speak to parents about their children's day as they drop off and collect their children.

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need to do better?

n Staff carry out risk assessments. However, they are not fully effective to minimise all potential hazards. For example, they identified broken grating outside that led to a child having an accident. Although they had plans in place to address the broken grating, they did nothing in the interim. n Leaders have a clear vision for what they want children to achieve. Speech and language, and children's physical development are key focuses. Staff model language well and use a rich and varied vocabulary with the children. The impact of this can be heard in the conversations children have with staff and each other. n Staff provide guidance to help children behave well. Children show kindness and are willing to help each other. For example, without prompting, children find resources to use with a dough activity and share these with others. n Music and routine tasks are combined well to encourage children to practise the

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need to do better?

rhythm and rhyme of words. For example, as staff ask children to clear up, they sing instructions and rhyme them with made-up words, which children delight to hear and join in with. n Children show that they are independent in routine activities. For example, babies are supported to start to use spoons to feed themselves and older

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need to do better?

19 May 2022 children are encouraged to put on their coats, wipe their noses and wash their hands after accessing the toilet or returning from outside play. n Staff at the nursery provide children with innovative ways to focus on their physical skills and self-esteem. For example, during a group activity, they encourage children to guess how many push-ups they can do. Children count as their friends attempt the task and staff congratulate them. Children show pride in their efforts and achievements. n Children delight in their outdoor play. Older children safely and skilfully manoeuvre on scooters, cars and tricycles, negotiating obstacles. In addition, a quiet area enables children to engage in role play. Babies have a cordoned off separate play area, which enables them to play safely and see their siblings. n Staff support younger toddlers to develop an understanding of the wider world. For instance, while they look at toy reptiles, children show deep interest as staff

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need to do better?

explore with them the life cycle of a gecko. n Relationships with parents and carers are strong. For example, staff encourage parents to borrow a book and resources from a book box. Parents know that they can keep this if they wish. Parents praise the staff team for the quality of information they share. n Leaders have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and work well with external agencies to support each child. n Leaders are ambitious to support staff to develop their skills, take part in training and national research opportunities, and implement changes. For example, research indicates that children's core development can be restricted if children sit too much. Children now have access to tables with differing heights that enable them to stand while they access activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff carry out risk assessments. However, on occasions, their assessments are not as effective as they could be. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure staff caring for children are suitable. Staff and managers complete regular child protection training to keep their knowledge up to date. They can identify signs that could indicate a child is at risk of abuse or neglect and have a competent understanding of wider safeguarding issues. They understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe and how to refer any concerns they may have about children or adults.

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Due date

19 May 2022 ensure that the risk assessment process is effective in helping to minimise hazards in the environment. 19/06/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY317494 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10220862 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 90 Name of registered person Pepperbox Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01373 301176 Date of previous inspection 20 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The Pepperbox Nursery registered in 2005. It operates in Frome, Somerset. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The nursery employs 24 members of staff. Of these, 17 have appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is qualified to degree level, two at level 6, and 13 at level 3. In addition, the nursery employs three cooks. Funded early years education is provided for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 setting. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the 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 nursery's documents. This included evidence of staff suitability checks and training. n A meeting was held between the inspector, the nursery owner and the nursery manager.

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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

19 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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