Poppies Day Nursery and Nursery School

Inspection of Poppies Day Nursery and Nursery School Sugar Pit Lane, KNUTSFORD, Cheshire WA16 0NH

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children arrive happy and are eager to attend the nursery. Staff are friendly and offer a wide range of activities that ignite children's interest and curiosity. Older children learn to operate torches. They keenly explore the shapes and shadows that are made on the walls. Younger children explore their senses as they touch and smell flowers. Children show great determination as they climb and balance on planks and roll small tyres around. This supports children's understanding of technology and further promotes the development of their physical skills.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is good. Older children show consideration to their friends. They kindly offer support when others struggle to pour from a jug. Children seek out others to join them in their play. They share toys and take pride in their environment as they tidy away. Staff are good role models and continually praise children for their efforts. This promotes children's confidence and self-esteem. Children foster a strong sense of belonging.

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The provision is good

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff are very aware of the need to have an even greater focus on children's personal and emotional needs. For example, arrangements for more flexible and tailored settling-in sessions have been made, and occasional home visits have taken place. This helps support children to develop strong attachments and has resulted in children feeling safe, secure and settled.

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need to do better?

n The managers are very reflective. They strive for continuous improvement and accurately identify their strengths and areas for development. Managers and staff carry out a wide range of training and research to support their ongoing plans. For example, the garden area is in development to provide more opportunities for planting and growing vegetables. n Staff provide children with healthy meals and discuss the effect nutritious food has on their bodies. Children independently serve their own food, pour their own water and wash their hands. Children's good hygiene and health are promoted well. n Generally, a well-sequenced curriculum is in place. Staff provide stimulating learning opportunities that build on children's interests, development needs and what they need to learn next. As a result, children are happy and motivated to learn, although occasionally, some children's emotional needs are not as well

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need to do better?

supported. Routines at lunchtime and transitions when moving outside are not always smooth and consistent across the nursery. Some children wait for long periods of time, resulting in them becoming restless. n Managers and staff ensure that children feel valued. They support them to embrace and celebrate differences between themselves, their families and

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need to do better?

4 July 2022 others. Family pictures are on display and toys are available that make children aware of different identities. Additionally, children go litter picking and are involved in competitions within the community. This supports children's understanding of the world around them and celebrates the value of diversity. n Overall, children's communication skills are promoted well. They sing songs, read stories and explore music. Staff provide older children with a wealth of useful words that reflect meaning during activities, such as 'recipe', 'ingredients' and 'instructions'. They provide hand signals to younger children, such as 'finished' at snack time. However, occasionally, staff do not model the correct words for reference to young children. Furthermore, older children are not always given time to respond to questions that they have been asked. Therefore, children are not always able to think for themselves.

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need to do better?

n Partnerships with parents are strong. They are very complimentary about the staff and commend them for their dedication and commitment. Staff keep parents informed about their children's care and development. They provide parents with information to support children's care and learning needs at home. Furthermore, staff make links with teachers from other schools to share information about children's progress and personal needs. This helps support children's continued learning skills and readiness for their transition to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have a strong knowledge of how to keep children safe. Staff complete a broad range of safeguarding training. They demonstrate a sound knowledge of the signs and symptoms which could indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff fully understand and implement safeguarding policies and procedures. Robust safer recruitment practices are completed to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Ongoing risk assessments are carried out throughout the day to ensure that children are safe at all times and any potential hazards are minimised.

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should:

n support children's emotional development further by providing consistent approaches to routines, particularly around lunchtime and when transitioning into the outdoors n support staff to model words of reference to young children and provide older children with more time to answer questions and think for themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2556445 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 10239207 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 61 Number of children on roll 116 Name of registered person Elmscot Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01619800003 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Poppies Day Nursery and Nursery School registered in 2020 and is located in Knutsford, Cheshire. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education places 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 managers and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The managers and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 inspector and the managers carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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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

4 July 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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