Corner House Nursery Lawton Road

Inspection of Townhouse Nursery 80 Lawton Road, Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST7 2DB

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are happy in this nursery. They show that they feel safe by snuggling into their carers and sharing their feelings. Children are well behaved and respectful towards their friends and the staff. Staff know all the children well. They celebrate their talents and encourage them to follow their own interests. Staff understand that each child is unique. They make plans and use creative strategies to support their needs.

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The provision is good

Staff ensure that all children reach their full potential through a coherent curriculum. Babies explore their surroundings with the support of nurturing staff. They enjoy a trip to a local sensory garden and return with lavender to use in a sensory basket. Toddlers stretch high to paint an outdoor wall using rollers. They enjoy using pretend telescopes while reading 'There's a Shark in the Park'. Older children are completely immersed in a space theme. They drop objects into flour and delight in measuring the size of the craters that are created. They use the new vocabulary they have learned to talk about planets, gravity and velocity. Children are curious and enthusiastic to find out about the world around them. Staff ask questions that extend children's learning.

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need to do better?

n The curriculum is effective. Children make links between ideas and build on previous learning. Children explain that humans could not live on a certain planet because there is no gravity. Others add that it would also be too cold because it is far from the sun. n Staff assess what children already know and build on it. This ensures that all children are challenged. However, teaching practice in the toddler room does not always sustain the interest of all children. As a result, opportunities for learning are not maximised. n Staff seek the best outcomes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work with other agencies to develop effective strategies. Staff have high ambition for each individual child. As a result, children with SEND make good progress. n Staff introduce new vocabulary and support children to use it with confidence. In the outdoor area, children take turns to stamp on an air pump, which launches a

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need to do better?

toy rocket. Staff explain that the force of the air pushes the rocket upwards. When children send the rocket sailing over a fence, they laugh and comment 'that was a lot of force'. n Children are familiar with a range of stories and rhymes. Staff read engaging stories to children throughout the day. Children share books with friends and talk about what they see. This encourages a love of reading. n A strong key-person system is in place. Parents know who their children's key

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need to do better?

15 August 2022 person is and feel comfortable talking to them about their children. This ensures that children feel secure and their needs are met. Barriers to learning are quickly identified. For example, when children become upset at having to stop playing at lunchtime, staff quickly intervene and engage and encourage them to help to set the table. This gives children a sense of pride. n The setting provides healthy meals and snacks. Suggestions from parents about food from different cultures are included in the menu. Children tell the inspector 'I've never had jambalaya, it looks nice'. Staff talk to children about being healthy in ways that they understand. For example, they say 'red fruit helps your heart to grow strong'. This supports children to make healthy choices and enjoy a varied diet. n Leaders promote a culture of professional development and support. Staff feel happy in their work place and find the manager approachable. Practice improves

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need to do better?

as a result of regular observations. n Staff encourage independence. Children serve their own food and drinks and tidy up after playing. Children show high levels of respect and care for their physical environment. n Staff find meaningful ways to teach children about diversity. For example, children visit residents in a local care home. An ongoing project explores the links that pre-school children have to different cultures. This includes trying Chinese food and looking at traditional Zimbabwean clothing. Children try painting with a bandaged arm to understand the artist Renoir's struggle with arthritis. This develops a good understanding of equality and diversity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding and management teams weave safeguarding into daily practice. They ask hypothetical questions and encourage professional curiosity. All staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps to keep children safe. Staff use risk assessments to prevent harm to children. Staff support children to share their feelings in imaginative ways. They use worry houses to encourage children to share any problems they may have. Staff have valid paediatric first-aid training certificates. Management make checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n enhance staff practice in the toddler room to deliver engaging and effective learning experiences for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY314152 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 10109726 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 74 Number of children on roll 135 Name of registered person Townhouse Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01270 883 383 Date of previous inspection 14 August 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Townhouse Nursery opened in 1994 and registered under new ownership in 2022. The nursery operates from a large converted house in the centre of Alsager. The nursery opens five days a week, from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 28 staff, of whom 27 work with the children. One member of staff is qualified as an early years teacher, the manager holds a level 5 qualification, 17 members of staff hold a level 3 qualification and four hold a level 2 qualification.

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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 to discuss their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector and the manager undertook joint observations of practice. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how she supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The manager and the inspector had discussions about leadership and management. n Parents spoke to the inspector about their children's experiences in 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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