Little Explorers Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Explorers Day Nursery Little Explorers Day Care Centre, 20 St Annes Road, Cradley Heath B64 5BS

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children are happy, safe and thoroughly enjoy the time they spend at the nursery. They form secure bonds with staff and are relaxed in their care. Babies are content and quickly soothed at times when they do become upset. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that babies' home routines are closely matched at the setting to provide continuity in their care and learning. Staff and leaders have created an exciting learning environment both indoors and outdoors to ensure that all children are well-motivated to play, explore and make new discoveries.

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The provision is good

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning. Older children have high levels of confidence and develop excellent social skills. They eagerly join in small group games and cooperatively play together. For example, they close their eyes and concentrate while a friend from around the circle takes the toy they are holding. They then use their reasoning skills to work out and name the friend who took the toy. Toddlers learn to take turns and happily play alongside their friends in the sand.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's health well and follow good hygiene routines. Children benefit from nutritiously balanced meals and snacks. Older children understand about the importance of regular hand washing and when to do this.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have successfully addressed the actions from the last inspection to ensure the safety and welfare of children who attend. Leaders have developed an effective approach to self-evaluation to identify and address areas for further development. n Leaders closely monitor staff practice and provide effective supervision, coaching and training to ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities. This has helped to raise the quality of children's education programmes. For example, leaders provided all staff with training to ensure that they have a secure understanding of how to support the learning for babies. Staff say that they feel well supported in their roles. n There is an effective key-person system in place. Staff use observations of children to identify what they already know and can do. Overall, they plan well for their learning and have clear learning intentions. This includes providing

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need to do better?

targeted support and intervention programmes for children with SEND. However, staff do not plan as comprehensively as possible to ensure that each child's main learning priorities are considered fully and planned for. n All children benefit from many opportunities to be physically active. Leaders and staff have created a challenging learning environment for babies to help them to

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need to do better?

31 May 2022 progress well with their physical development. Babies enjoy sharing a small space with a friend in a seesaw and know how to shift their weight to create the rocking motion. They learn how to safely climb up steps and down ramps. However, leaders and staff do not give the fullest consideration to the sequence of knowledge and skills that older children need to gain, to fully challenge them with their larger muscle movements. n Staff skilfully support children's communication and language development. They know how to adjust the language and questions they use to support children at different stages of their development. Babies stop what they are doing to listen to songs and rhymes. They confidently join in with actions. Toddlers listen attentively to staff and understand the language associated with colours. Older children give clear instructions, such as how to use a skipping rope. They provide detailed descriptions of their family members and pets.

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need to do better?

n Staff work closely with parents and have frequent discussions with them about their child's progress and well-being. Leaders have recently started to welcome parents back into the setting, following the ease of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents say how staff have particularly helped children to become more confident in social situations. n Children behave well and staff have high expectations of them. Toddlers calmly and positively respond to staff's gentle reminders about what is expected from them when they try to take equipment from another child.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff make careful risk assessments to check that the areas of the nursery used by children are safe. This includes having suitable sleeping arrangements for children. Staff know how to safely prepare food to minimise the risk of choking. Leaders and staff have a good understanding of how to protect children and understand the procedures to follow if they identify any concerns about a child's welfare. Leaders regularly update their knowledge of local safeguarding concerns up and prioritise the training for staff. They follow robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff suitability.

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should:

n enhance the education programme and planning to support older children's physical development, to more precisely challenge them to build on their knowledge and skills n use observations of children's achievements to plan more comprehensively for each child, to help extend their learning even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY467957 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 10218342 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 50 Number of children on roll 107 Name of registered person Little Explorers (West Midlands) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01384 412197 Date of previous inspection 3 December 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Day Nursery registered in 2013. It is situated in the Cradley Heath area of Birmingham. The provider employs 14 members of childcare staff. All staff hold approved early years qualifications from level 2 to level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The provider receives funding to provide free 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 their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed teaching practices and considered the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the leaders, staff, children and parents. n The inspector sampled some of the provider's documentation, including the safeguarding policy and suitability checks of staff. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk and joint observation together.

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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

31 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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