Little Ducklings Topsham

Inspection of Little Ducklings Nursery Devon Ltd St Margarets Church Rooms, 59 Fore Street, Topsham, Exeter, Devon EX3 0HL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

p.1

The provision is good

Children of all ages are settled and calm, showing how secure they feel with the caring staff. They enjoy a rich learning environment which is planned around their developmental needs and emerging skills. Staff provide interesting activities which engage children and capture their imaginations. For example, children take off their shoes and socks and enthusiastically walk through water, mud and foliage as they recreate a bear hunt. In addition to exploring different textures with their feet, children remember and join in with the familiar story. Children show great respect for others, and those that are older carefully guide younger ones. Children quickly learn to regulate their emotions and have excellent relationships with one another.

p.2

The provision is good

Children benefit from the sensitive way in which staff handle transitions within the nursery. Staff use what they know about each child to assess when they are ready to move to the next stage of their learning. They share comprehensive information about the child with their new key person to ease the move to their new room. Staff are committed to giving each child the opportunity to succeed, whatever their starting points. They support all children to make good progress.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff know the children well. They make time to get to know them when they first start. For example, staff provide lots of one-to-one interaction to get to know babies and help them to feel safe and secure. Staff are knowledgeable about the children and confidently describe the progress they have made since starting and what they need to do next. They understand what each child needs to learn and adapt the curriculum to meet their needs. Where children are in receipt of additional funding, managers and staff give careful consideration to how to spend it, in order to have the most impact on the children's learning. n Children, including those who need extra help and those who are learning English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points. Children are confident communicators who chat to each other and to adults. Staff use effective strategies to support children who need extra help.

p.2

need to do better?

This includes one-to-one activities with their key person and the use of visual cues and sign language. Staff are pro-active about using children's home languages in the setting. This helps those children who do not speak English at home to settle and develop their overall communication skills. n Staff work closely with parents to meet children's needs and support the family as a whole. Numerous parents report how well staff share information with them about their child's progress and comment on staff's care, insightfulness, understanding, empathy and adaptation to each child and their needs. n Children are exceptionally well behaved and are skilled at sharing and taking turns. For example, they patiently wait for their turn on the obstacle course.

p.2

need to do better?

24 August 2022 Older children relish being part of a group and joining in with activities together. For example, they enthusiastically crowd round to make rubbings of leaves and cannot wait to go outside together to take part in a carefully planned 'bear hunt' activity. When they have to go back inside temporarily, they understand the need for this and follow staff's instructions promptly. n Staff promote healthy lifestyles. Children follow thorough hygiene routines and have daily opportunities to exercise in the outdoor area. Staff work with parents to ensure that children have nutritious packed lunches, and those children who have lunch provided by the nursery have a balanced meal. n Managers have handled the rapid expansion of the nursery well and have successfully maintained their ethos of providing a home-from-home environment. They monitor staff practice and offer opportunities for professional

p.2

need to do better?

development to develop staff's knowledge and skills. However, this is not yet fully embedded and staff do not consistently seize opportunities to extend children's learning to the highest level. n Staff support children to get ready for school by ensuring they have the independent skills they will need. However, managers have not yet built highly effective links with all local schools to help children's move to school to be as seamless as possible.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff complete relevant training when they start working at the nursery. Managers use quizzes to test staff's knowledge. If they identify any gaps, they ensure that these areas are focused on promptly to improve staff's understanding. Staff confidently explain the possible signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They have a clear understanding of what to do if they are worried about a child and know how to escalate their concerns if managers do not take appropriate action. They are confident about the nursery's whistle-blowing policy and state that they would not hesitate to report concerns about colleagues. Staff carefully supervise children to ensure their safety.

p.3

should:

n develop the monitoring and coaching of staff to enable them to seize every opportunity to extend children's learning to the highest level n enhance partnerships with schools to ease children's move from the nursery to their next stage of learning.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2672584 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10250477 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Little Ducklings Nursery Devon Ltd

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01392 875063 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Little Ducklings Nursey Devon Ltd registered in 2022. It is situated in Topsham, Devon. It opens from 8am to 6pm on weekdays throughout the year. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide free education sessions for children aged two, three and four years. There are 14 staff. Of these, one has a relevant degree, eight have qualifications at level 3, two have qualifications at level 2 and three are currently unqualified.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 setting. n The nominated individual, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and manager about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 carried out a joint observation with the nominated individual. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

24 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6