The Children's House

Inspection of The Children's House Station Road, Stallingborough, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN41 8AJ

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children are happy and vibrant as they enter the setting. They show eagerness and enthusiasm about their learning and are very keen to participate in all activities that are available. Children thrive in this highly inviting and stimulating environment. Children's learning is tailored to their individual needs and capabilities, and they acquire appropriate skills for when they start school. Inclusive practice is excellent and the provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exceptional. Children's personal, social and emotional development are very well supported, with children's well-being a primary focus of the setting. Children develop close attachments to the caring and nurturing staff team. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure at the setting. Children behave remarkably well. They form strong friendships with one another and show a willingness to help each other with tasks.

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The provision is outstanding

Children benefit from a highly ambitious curriculum that incorporates the seven areas of early learning following the Montessori approach. Children are encouraged to explore sensory activities. For example, babies investigate the foam tray, toddlers play with play dough, and pre-school children engage in finger painting. Children learn about life cycles and how butterflies develop, when they are developmentally ready. They experience activities, including looking at live caterpillars, participating in small discussion groups and opportunities to read along with books to support and embed children's learning.

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need to do better?

n The extremely dedicated leadership and management team lead by example. They offer continuous support, encouragement and guidance to the highly qualified staff team. Excellent practices promote staff's well-being. This includes development and training opportunities in the setting, as well as additional opportunities for discussions and reflection. Staff comment that they feel valued and appreciated. They complete questionnaires and share their views and ideas during team meetings. n The setting is highly inclusive. Children with SEND excel in their development. Staff work in partnership with other professionals and help children to focus their learning. Children who arrive at the setting with lower speech, language and social skills make remarkable progress and develop strong friendships with others. They work together and are happy for others to join in their play. Staff provide additional one-to-one speech and language support, and use visual

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need to do better?

prompts to support learning and encourage children's understanding of objects. n Partnership working with parents is a strength of the setting. Parents compliment the commitment of staff and how well they support children in their development. They are invited to contribute to children's 'special books'. Staff

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need to do better?

5 July 2022 and children then talk about different families and share photographs of special events and people. Parents are provided with information about what children are learning about at the setting as well as daily care routines. n Children are provided with healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. Outside, children run, jump, skip, climb on the climbing apparatus, play in the sandpit and mix and stir in the mud kitchen. Older children also push prams and buggies as well as ride trikes and other wheeled toys. Young children learn how to kick and throw balls with accuracy and manipulate play dough. Older children show excellent levels of concentration and hand-to-eye coordination when using scissors to cut along lines printed on paper. They manoeuvre their fingers around printed dots on paper after dipping them in paint. Older children are encouraged to enhance their core strength and balancing skills by walking

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need to do better?

backwards and forwards along chalked lines on the floor. n Staff significantly follow children's interests in their play. They introduce technological equipment, including a computer with mouse controls, and encourage children to talk about their likes and dislikes. Children are exposed to rich and complex vocabulary and join in with conversations. This helps to promote their listening and attention skills. n Children's independence skills are very well supported. For example, children are able to access clothing items from the dressing-up box and put them on. They self-select their own resources and equipment. Children's development and independence are considered appropriately, according to their capabilities and maturity, before moving to the next room. This promotes their self-awareness, self-confidence and resilience.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager demonstrates an excellent knowledge of safeguarding and child protection matters. She shares this information with the highly vigilant staff team. There are extensive recruitment and induction procedures in place and the manager reviews staff's ongoing suitability. This means that those working with children are suitable to do so. Staff show substantial awareness of safeguarding issues. They complete training and participate in quizzes, scenarios and questionnaires to test their understanding. This helps to keep their knowledge up to date. All staff follow a highly detailed safeguarding policy, which underpins their strong practice.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 205540 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Inspection number 10117573 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 121 Number of children on roll 122 Name of registered person EQUALGRADE LIMITED

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reference number

Telephone number 01472 886000 Date of previous inspection 9 February 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The Children's House registered in 2000 and is located in Grimsby. The nursery employs 32 members of staff. Of these, 24 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including two graduates and one with early years professional status. Three staff hold a Montessori qualification as the nursery prescribes to the Montessori educational philosophy, and one other is currently working towards this. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7am until 6.30pm. An after- school facility is provided for local schools. The nursery provides funded 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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about their priorities for the setting, their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The manager joined the inspector to observe an activity presented to a group of children by a member of staff. The manager provided feedback and an evaluation to the inspector of how she felt the activity had gone. 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 spoke to several parents, children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

5 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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