Marlow Day Nursery Ltd

Inspection of Marlow Day Nursery Ltd Sandygate Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 3AZ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Since the last inspection leaders have worked very hard to make improvements to the quality of the provision. They have improved the safety of the environment and put in place robust measures to ensure that high standards of safety are maintained. Staff have the knowledge they need to identify and respond to any concerns about a child's safety or well- being. These improvements all help ensure children remain safe and secure at nursery.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are greeted with lots of smiles on arrival. However, challenges with staffing does mean that this is not always by someone who the children know well, to fully support children's sense of security and belonging.

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The provision requires improvement

There have been improvements made to the quality of education since the last inspection. Children benefit from a much-improved learning environment, and many have access to inviting and interesting resources. However, the quality of teaching is variable and staff are not yet fully confident in planning the curriculum and fully supporting children's learning. That said, many of the children thoroughly enjoy the new play and learning experiences on offer. Older children delight in the opportunities to use the new 'home corner' resources to make imaginative meals. They carefully put on hard hats before entering the pretend construction area and work with each other to plan what they will build.

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The provision requires improvement

Children behave well. Staff are good role models. They are polite and courteous to each other, children and visitors. Children learn by example, and demonstrate the same good manners. Children are encouraged to take turns and consider the needs of others.

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need to do better?

n Staff are highly motivated to offer a well planned, sequenced and expertly taught curriculum to all children. However, a secure understanding of how to do this is not yet fully embedded across the nursery. Staff do not always match activities to children's stage of development precisely enough. For example, babies and very young children are provided with crayons and small pieces of paper that they do not yet have the muscle control to use meaningfully. Some activities for older children lack enough challenge for their abilities. n Staff understand the importance of reading to children regularly to support their developing language and literacy skills. They have created inviting reading areas in each room. Children enjoy coming together for story times and show they are developing an understanding of how stories are structured. For example, toddlers listen to well-known stories intently and join in with repeated refrains.

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need to do better?

n Older children play happily. They enjoy the company of other children. They find

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need to do better?

15 August 2022 the newly provided resources especially appealing. However, where improvements have yet to be made to the environment, their concentration is less focused and they do not find activities as captivating. n Staff are very kind and calm. They offer comfort and cuddles to babies and children who become unsettled. However, staffing challenges have impacted on the amount of time key staff can spend with their key children to best build secure bonds to help children fully settle in the nursery environment. n Children benefit from plenty of opportunities to be physically active. There is a large, safe outdoor space that staff use well to encourage children to run and play energetically. Babies have lots of space inside to practise their crawling and early walking. This all contributes to children's good health and understanding of the value of following an active lifestyle. n Overall, parents speak positively about the nursery and the staff. Parents now

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need to do better?

benefit from regular updates on what their children have been doing and have a better understanding of their child's time at nursery. The newly developed lending library enables them to borrow books to further support children's love of books at home. n The leadership team have very successfully improved staff morale. They are building a team of dedicated practitioners who are keen to learn and improve their teaching skills further. Training has had a positive impact so far and leaders recognise they are on a 'journey' and there are still improvements to be made. The provider recognises the manager needs more time each week to observe and support staff, to ensure teaching becomes consistently good.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Across the staff team there is a secure understanding of the signs that could indicate a child is at risk of harm or abuse. Staff talk confidently about what they would need to do if they had any such concerns. They understand the importance of raising any concerns promptly and know how to escalate concerns beyond the nursery if they needed to do so. Staff complete regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. The manager uses staff meetings and supervisions to further embed safeguarding knowledge. The provider follows robust recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of those employed to work with children. Staff undertake regular checks on the premises and equipment to ensure they remain safe and suitable for children.

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Due date

15 August 2022 ensure all staff clearly understand the overarching curriculum aims and are able to precisely identify what they want children to learn next from learning experiences 28/10/2022

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Due date

improve staff deployment so children spend as much time as possible with consistent staff who are best placed to meet their emotional and developmental needs 28/10/2022

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Due date

focus support for staff, including less qualified or experienced staff, on enhancing their teaching skills, so that teaching is consistently good or better. 28/10/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 116696 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10231313 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 58 Number of children on roll 57 Name of registered person The Marlow Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01628 488 114 Date of previous inspection 22 February 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Marlow Day Nursery Ltd registered in 1997. It is located on the outskirts of Marlow town centre, in Buckinghamshire. The nursery is open each weekday, from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. It also offers bookable early drop off from 7.30am. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 13 staff. The manager is qualified at level 3 and nine other staff hold recognised childcare qualifications.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and the deputy manager completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The deputy manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n Parents shared their views and the inspector took these into account. n The inspector held meetings with the deputy manager to find out about the leadership and management of the setting.

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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

15 August 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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