Little Pals Childrens Centre Nursery

Inspection of Little Pals Childrens Centre Nursery Bishops Park College, Jaywick Lane, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO16 8BE

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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 nursery with a beaming smile on their faces. They part from their parents and carers with ease and hurry to join their friends in play. New babies who are struggling to settle are comforted by the caring staff. Staff use the knowledge they have already gained about the children's interests to engage and distract them. Children are keen, active and excited learners. They make excellent use of the wide range of well-presented resources to guide their own learning, both indoors and outside. For instance, they collect leaves and herbs from the nursery garden to make potions. They discuss how much water, red sparkling glitter and food colouring they need to make their specific potion. Some decide their mixture resembles soup, others comment that it looks like lava when they pour it onto the garden and watch the glitter shimmer in the sunlight.

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate their clear understanding of the nursery rules and boundaries. They are kind and caring towards their peers. Children and staff show great respect for one another, taking time to listen to each other's comments. Children demonstrate their affection towards staff by arranging wild flowers from the garden and presenting them to them. The staff gratefully receive their gift and give caring hugs of appreciation.

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need to do better?

n There is a strong and effective management team in place, which supports staff to work cohesively. The managers each have specific roles within the provision, sharing the responsibilities that come with running a large early years setting. Managers are knowledgeable about their roles and confidently govern the setting, consistently evaluating ways that they can further improve and develop. n During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, staff and managers continued to offer care to children of key workers. They kept in regular contact with families who were not able to attend the nursery. Managers and staff provided both activities for parents to do with their children at home and some food support for those who needed it. When all children returned to the nursery, staff and managers followed the government guidelines to keep everyone safe and reviewed the learning needs of all children. Additional support was put in place to help

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need to do better?

children to regain some of the learning they lost during this period. n Parents spoken to during the inspection speak extremely highly of the staff and management. Some comment on the expert advice they have received in relation to seeking appropriate support for their children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents say that the methods of communication between the staff, managers and themselves is superb and they always know what their child is doing. Parents have recently been able to enter the nursery building again to drop off and collect their children. They comment

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need to do better?

8 June 2022 how pleased they are by this change and how nice it is to see the rooms where their children are being cared for. n Staff place great emphasis on getting to know and meeting the needs of every child. They work well with parents and other professionals to ensure that they have the most up-to-date knowledge of each child's needs, likes and interests. They channel this information into their planning to help every child to reach their full potential. n The management team and staff are currently developing a new way of planning and implementing their curriculum. They are creating exciting learning environments, where children are able to explore and experiment with a range of resources. Staff are beginning to develop their understanding of this way of delivering learning, however, this is work in progress and not all staff have embedded this new way of thinking to a consistently high level. n Children with SEND are well supported to make good progress. Staff plan

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need to do better?

effectively for each child and use additional funding to enhance children's experiences. They prepare children well for transitions around the nursery and for their eventual move to school. As a means of preparing children for the lunchtime routine when they go to school, children eat their main meal in the dining room. While this provides a similar routine to most schools, the room can be very loud and busy at lunchtime. This is not conducive for some children who struggle with loud environments.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and the management team demonstrate a proficient knowledge of how to safeguard children. They regularly update their safeguarding knowledge, for example, through training and in-house discussions. Staff demonstrate their knowledge of the signs and symptoms that would alert them to a child being mistreated or abused, including wider safeguarding issues, such as female genital mutilation and the 'Prevent' duty. New staff receive a thorough induction to help them to quickly understand the nursery safeguarding policies and procedures.

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should:

n evaluate the effectiveness of the lunchtime routine to ensure children enjoy their meals in a calm environment that is conducive to meeting all children's needs n continue to develop and build staff's knowledge of how to effectively implement the curriculum to a consistently high level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY395827 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10244162 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 75 Number of children on roll 125 Name of registered person Little Pals Childrens Centre Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01255 687151 Date of previous inspection 22 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Pals Childrens Centre Nursery registered in 2009. It is one of two settings run by the same company. The nursery employs 33 members of childcare staff. Of these, 21 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children, and those receiving early years pupil premium.

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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 viewed all areas of the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about what they want children to learn. n Children shared their views with the inspector. 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 manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of

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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

8 June 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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