Little Clowns Nursery

Inspection of Little Clowns Nursery 10 Queens Road, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 7TH

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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 this welcoming environment happy and ready to learn. They come in excited and ready to investigate the wide range of activities available, which they explore with curiosity and interest. Children benefit from meaningful interactions with staff which stimulate their learning and build on what they already know. For example, staff fill their hands up with shaving foam. They clap their hands together, making it go everywhere. The babies giggle and laugh as they copy the actions.

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The provision is good

Children develop secure attachments with their key persons, who know them well. Staff give children lots of praise and reassurance, which builds confidence and self- esteem. Children play alongside each other. They share ideas and listen to each other with respect. For example, the children mix paint and water to make 'tea'. They share ideas on what flavour and colour the tea should be and together decide on orange. Staff support children to manage any conflicts, such as sharing. For example, when children struggle to share the paint, staff remind children to be patient and to wait their turn.

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The provision is good

Children learn how to manage risks and stay safe. For example, as they cut and grate limes staff closely monitor them and remind them to watch their fingers. Older children know how to recognise potential risks to themselves and others. For example, children notice water on the floor and ask staff for a towel to clean it up 'before someone slips'.

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need to do better?

n The manager and her team believe there should be no limits to children's learning. Their curriculum is ambitious and builds on what children already know. Staff use children's interests to plan exciting activities to support children to achieve their next steps. For example, toddlers learn to make their play dough. Staff use open-ended questions, such as, 'I wonder if this is too wet, or too dry.' This allows children to test out their theories and ideas. n Children benefit from a language-rich environment. Staff listen to younger children with interest and repeat words back using the correct pronunciation. Older children learn new words each month. Once children understand the words and their meaning, staff extend their knowledge by supporting them to use these words in sentences. For example, while children make the colour 'orange', they discuss how the colour is more 'blood orange'. n Children use mathematical language and concepts in their play. The children use

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need to do better?

scales to weigh out food and tea. They use words such as 'more', 'less', 'big' and 'small'. The children notice the needle move on the scales and ask the staff why. Staff explain to the children that the needle goes up in numbers the more you

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need to do better?

9 June 2022 add, and that the less you add the number goes down. n Parents praise the management team members for their continued help during the pandemic. During this time, staff provided children with activities to support their learning. The manager kept parents up to date with changes to guidance and policies. Parents appreciate the support staff provide, such as when dealing with bereavement or planning for new additions to their family. n Staff speak highly of the management team. They have regular meetings with the deputy manager, where they reflect on the provision and practice. Staff attend training to further improve their skills and build on their knowledge. For example, staff attend training on how to support children's mental health. This impacts on how staff handle children's emotions and enables them to understand the reason behind the behaviour. n Children love to listen to books and stories. Staff ask children to choose a

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need to do better?

favourite book, which becomes the focus of the week. The children act out stories and enjoy story-themed activities. For example, children use story cards to explore the different stages of the story to look at it in more detail. They discuss what they see and discuss any things they have noticed in the story. This enables children to build literacy skills and gain an understanding of how a story is structured. n Overall, children show a good attitude to learning. Staff plan activities that spark curiosity and interest to support children to achieve their next stages of learning. However, staff miss opportunities to further support less confident children during group activities, specifically when other children in the group have high levels of confidence.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager understands her responsibility to safeguard children. She is confident in procedures for reporting any concerns regarding children to her local authority. Staff show they can identify signs and symptoms of abuse. They show an awareness of safeguarding issues in the community, such as female genital mutilation, the 'Prevent' duty and county lines. The staff know the procedure for reporting any allegations or concerns made against a member of staff.

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should:

n further support children with less confidence to participate in group activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY300167 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10234896 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 54 Number of children on roll 98 Name of registered person Little Clowns Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01275 340069 Date of previous inspection 27 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Little Clowns Nursery registered in 2005. It is located in Clevedon in North Somerset. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are 13 staff who work with the children. Of these, 10 hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and above. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 and the manager completed a learning walk, where they discussed the provision and the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during both indoor and outdoor play and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the deputy manager to discuss how they evaluate their provision. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took

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Inspection activities

account of written testimonials. n Children spoke and engaged with the inspector 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

9 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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