Waterways Nursery and After School Club

Inspection of Waterways Nursery and After School Club Southwood Road, LONDON SE28 8EZ

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children enter the setting happily and settle quickly on arrival. Well-organised daily routines help them to understand what is happening throughout the day. Staff have high expectations and, because of this, children make good progress, including those who receive additional funding.

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The provision is good

Young children enjoy singing songs and rhymes, and laugh with delight. They have access to an outdoor space, where they can roll down a hill and water plants. Older children are encouraged to also develop their physical skills outside, which is where they spend a large portion of time. They ride bikes and scooters, and play happily on the swing and slide. Children learn about the world around, and the process of planting and growing vegetables. Staff act as positive role models and interact with children in a caring, polite manner. Children form good relationships with staff and respond to them in a positive way.

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The provision is good

Staff work hard to encourage children to play together and manage their own behaviour. For example, children line up behind a large tree stump and patiently wait for their turn to jump off it.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have a clear vision for the setting. They lead with passion and determination, and know what they want children to achieve. Leaders evaluate and consider the views of parents and staff. Children join in a 'little voice' group to ensure that they have their say about the setting and their learning. n Overall, children's speech and language skills are developing well. From a very young age, staff encourage children's emotion vocabulary and there is a strong emphasis on children being able to express how they feel. For example, children sit at the dinner table and tell each other, 'You are my best friend, I love you'. However, during everyday conversations with children, staff do not consistently take every opportunity to expand children's language and vocabulary. n Staff identify children who are not making expected progress. This leads to timely support programmes being put in place. Staff work in partnership with

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need to do better?

other professionals and parents to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can access the learning they need to make progress. For example, staff use visual cards and sensory circuits to support children with change. n Children are immersed in an environment which encourages them to explore and make their own choices. All staff engage well with children. They ask questions, interact with children and act as good role models. Children behave well and enjoy being outside playing in the garden. The outdoor space provides children with lots of opportunities to explore the world around them. For example, they

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need to do better?

26 May 2022 smell herbs in the sensory garden and look for bugs. Children take pride in looking after their environment and water the plants. n Parents speak positively about the nursery and care which their children receive. They feel that their children's needs are being met and that they are making good progress. Parents also appreciate the opportunity to attend parenting classes, which helps them understand how they can support their children even further at home. They are kept up to date about their child's learning and development through an online app and daily conversations with staff. n Staff sit with children at mealtimes. They promote children's independence and physical skills, for example by encouraging them to serve their own food. Children learn to use large spoons, and knives and forks. n In preparation for their future learning, staff introduce children to letters and the sounds which they make at group time. However, staff do not consistently

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need to do better?

extend children's learning even further. For example, they do not offer children more opportunities to learn about the shapes of letters, by exploring how to write and form them by themselves. n Staff support children's social skills through helping them to regulate their own behaviour. Children resolve their own conflicts. For example, when children want to use the same ride-on car, they are able to quickly resolve the problem by getting in it together.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have good knowledge of child protection issues. They know who to contact if they have concerns about a child's welfare or safety. Staff can identify the signs and symptoms which may indicate that a child is at risk or harm. Leaders ensure that staff attend regular safeguarding training and keep their knowledge up to date. Staff understand their role and know how to use the systems put in place by managers to keep children safe. They are aware of safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty. Staff also help children to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, at forest school, children use a sign to indicate when they feel something is unsafe. .

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should:

n promote children's communication skills even further by extending their language and encouraging them to use more words at every opportunity n provide more opportunities for children to make marks and learn about letter shapes in preparation for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY489013 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 10197914 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 96 Number of children on roll 92 Name of registered person Greenwich Leisure Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07580 784 891 Date of previous inspection 9 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Waterways Nursery and After School Club registered in 2015 and is part of the Greenwich Leisure Ltd organisation. It is located in the Thamesmead area of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The setting operates all year round from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. It provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting has 32 staff, Of these, two hold early childhood degrees, one holds an NVQ level 4, three hold a level 2 qualification, and 19 hold a level 3 qualification.

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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 this into account in her evaluation. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day, and evaluated the impact these had on children's learning. n A joint observation of an activity was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including evidence of the suitability and training of staff. n The views of parents were obtained by the inspector, through discussions and written testimonials. n The inspector held discussions with the management team, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

26 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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