Kids Planet Knowsley Safari

Inspection of Waverton Safari Day Nursery Parkside Cottage, Knowsley Safari Park, Prescot, Lancashire L34 4AN

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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

As children enter the nursery, they eagerly select a book from the outdoor bookshelf to take inside with them. This helps children to feel relaxed and have a sense of belonging as soon as they arrive. Children develop secure bonds with their key person and other familiar adults. Staff set up inviting activities that promote awe and wonder about the world. They engage children's interests well. Children have access to a vast selection of unusual real-life resources within their play. This enables them to develop their imagination and self-expression. Older children learn how to safely use adult-sized tools, such as mallets and cheese graters. They use these tools to create art, using flowers, leaves and coloured chalks. Toddlers pretend to listen to each other's heartbeat using a real stethoscope. Children learn to handle delicate and fragile resources with interest and care. Babies freely explore baskets of objects and take items to familiar adults. They sit on adults'

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The provision is good

laps, babble and talk about what they are holding and point at pictures in books. Staff hold conversations with children as they play. They offer children new vocabulary and provide new knowledge. They successfully encourage children to think for themselves.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They follow embedded routines; therefore, they know what to expect and listen to instructions with ease. When children occasionally display unwanted behaviour, staff explain the behaviour they would prefer to see. This helps to reinforce children's awareness of appropriate interactions with each other. Older children are very aware of the importance of using resources 'carefully'. They praise each other's efforts when working together.

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need to do better?

n In a short time, the new manager and staff team have worked hard to raise the quality of education and embed the nursery curriculum. The manager accurately identifies areas of the nursery that requires further focused support. She continually reflects on how to improve the quality of experiences for children. n Leaders accurately identify children that need extra help with their development. They consult parents and external professionals to make personalised target plans and strategies. However, some less-experienced staff are not as knowledgeable about how they can use the different strategies to support children's learning further, for instance to promote communication and language and social skills more effectively. n Mathematics is skilfully and routinely interwoven throughout the curriculum. Children count stairs on their way down to the garden. Toddlers count the segments of orange peel during snack. They sing counting songs as they make

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need to do better?

'five currant buns' with play dough. Staff encourage children to look for mathematical shapes around the building. They also encourage children to

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need to do better?

7 July 2022 consider if they have found a full or half-full container of seed pods in the garden. Pre-school children learn about quantity as they measure out ingredients to make their own play dough. n Parents speak very positively about the nursery resources and building. They comment about the time and patience all staff provide when discussing their children's needs. They appreciate the photos they receive and the information about the activities provided. However, not all parents receive specific information about what their child has learned or plans for their child's next steps in learning. This means some parents are not able to continue supporting their children's development at home. n The manager has ambitious ongoing plans for staff to share their expert knowledge and skills acquired from training with each other in practice. However, due to recruitment challenges, the manager has been unable to

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need to do better?

implement these plans at pace. That said, she provides support through observing staff practice and interactions with children. She provides staff with ideas to enhance the overall quality of education. All staff have their own targeted professional development plans to help maintain good-quality teaching. n Children have many opportunities to practise their physical skills. Older children use shovels and rakes and work as a team to dig up a tree root they believe is a 'dinosaur bone'. Obstacle courses involving balancing, jumping and running help children to strengthen their coordination skills. Staff recognise the benefit to toddlers' core muscle strength when they are able to stand while pressing play dough. Children use rolling pins and move their arms when creating large marks with chalks. This helps to develop large muscles and control.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Posters displayed across the nursery explain the safeguarding children procedure for all to see. Staff know who to contact and to go higher if their concerns are not responded to, if they are worried about a child's well-being or the misconduct of a colleague. They have secure knowledge of responding to unexplained bruising and injuries in non-mobile and non-verbal children. They understand the importance of being vigilant to changes in children's behaviour. All staff have knowledge of safeguarding issues, such as 'Prevent' duty and female genital mutilation. Staff risk assess the resources, as many of these are breakable and delicate. They ensure broken items are removed from children's free access and disposed of. More intricate objects are only introduced when children are developmentally ready.

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should:

n support less-experienced staff to further broaden their knowledge and

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should:

7 July 2022 understanding of different strategies used to support children's communication and language and social skills n strengthen procedures for sharing information about what children know and can do and what they need to learn next with all parents n support staff to share their skills and high-quality teaching across the nursery with less-experienced and newer staff, to continue to improve the quality of education consistently to the highest level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2560418 Local authority Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council Inspection number 10221661 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 62 Number of children on roll 82 Name of registered person Waverton House Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0151 426 6017 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Waverton Safari Day Nursery registered in 2019. It is situated within the grounds of Knowsley Safari Park. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, 8am until 6pm, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays. The nursery employs three staff with qualified teacher status and nine staff with qualifications at level 3 and above. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken this into account in the evaluation of the nursery. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and explained how the curriculum is planned and implemented. n Discussions were held with staff, parents and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed practice in all rooms and evaluated the quality of activities in the pre-school garden and younger toddler room, together with the manager. n The inspector looked at documents, including staff qualifications, paediatric first- aid certificates and evidence to demonstrate the suitability of staff. n The inspector tracked the experiences of children to determine the progress they make. n Meetings were held with the manager and area manager to discuss their

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Inspection activities

evaluation of the provision and the impact on children's progress.

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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

7 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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