St George's Nursery School

Inspection of St George's Nursery School 2 Grace Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 8AD

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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

Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff, who are kind and caring. Babies build strong bonds with the staff who care for them. They smile with delight as they have a cuddle and share textured books with staff. Children demonstrate they feel happy, safe and well cared for. They develop good levels of confidence and self-esteem and a willingness to try new activities. For example, toddlers develop their physical skills as they climb into the pirate ship. Pre-school children explore mixing paint and eagerly talk about the colours they have made.

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The provision is good

Children become independent learners. Staff have a progressive plan for children to develop skills for life. For example, in the baby room, children learn to feed themselves from an early age. They continue to develop these skills as they progress through the nursery. Pre-school children learn to independently take care of themselves and make friends so that they are ready for school. Behaviour in all rooms is good as staff are clear about their expectations. Children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) develop a positive attitude towards learning. The dedicated special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) plans support for children to ensure they receive the help they require.

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need to do better?

n Children benefit from a broad curriculum covering all areas of learning. Staff use dedicated reading areas, both inside and outside, to encourage children's literacy skills and love of books. Children enjoy listening to stories being read aloud and recall favourite their characters, such as Goldilocks. They mix sand and water and talk about it being like the porridge in the story. Children hear adults modelling mathematical language, such as 'full' and 'empty' as they play in the water with jugs and bowls. They enjoy making friends as they make up games together in the role-play area. This ensures children enjoy learning in different ways. n Staff monitor children's development well. They make good use of assessment and use it to plan children's future learning goals. Staff communicate this information to parents with ideas to further support children's development at home. n The staff use children's interests to plan activities while introducing them to new

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need to do better?

ideas and experiences to broaden their knowledge. The managers are aware that, at times, staff could extend the activities they plan to stretch children's development even further. n Staff help children to learn new words. They model naming vocabulary to babies and use sounds and pictures to explain what words mean. However, sometimes, the quality of interactions with older children are not fully effective to extend children's communication skills further. For example, staff do not consistently

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need to do better?

5 September 2022 model age-appropriate language or use strategies to further develop children's speech and language skills. n Children's behaviour is good. Staff are kind and respectful in their interactions with children. Consequently, children learn to understand the age-appropriate boundaries at the nursery and develop peer-group relationships. For example, toddlers share pretend food in the role-play kitchen and wait for their turn to use the microwave. n Children enjoy home-cooked meals at nursery, with a range of nutritious and healthy foods. They have access to fresh drinking water. Children develop healthy eating habits and have good manners. n Partnerships with parents and other professionals involved in children's care are good. Parents speak very highly about the staff. They say the nursery's online application provides them instant information about their child's learning and development and staff have excellent relationships with their children.

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need to do better?

n Children have opportunities to enjoy new experiences. Staff teach children about the world in which they live. They celebrate festivals and learn about respect for different cultures. Staff use movement to music to start the day to focus children's thinking. n The managers coach and mentor staff to support them in providing the best care for children. They use supervision and appraisal meetings to plan how staff can continue to improve their practice. Staff are supported to undertake a wide range of training opportunities linked to their specific work and responsibilities. For example, staff working with babies have completed training to extend their understanding of how babies learn and develop. The SENCo has completed a course to aid her work and further improve the additional support she offers to children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all staff attend regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Staff have a secure understanding of how to keep children safe from harm and abuse. They know the signs that might lead them to be concerned about a child's well-being and how to report these concerns. The manager and staff provide a safe and secure environment for children through regular risk assessments. They take immediate action to minimise any potential risks. Staff are all trained in paediatric first aid; they know how to deal with accidents and injuries. The setting has gained Millie's Mark accreditation in first aid.

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should:

n build on how activities for toddlers and pre-school children are planned to

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should:

5 September 2022 ensure they aim to provide ambitious and challenging learning opportunities n develop how staff support older children's communication and language skills further through consistently high-quality interactions alongside children's play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2546251 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 10215566 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 91 Number of children on roll 91

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Name of registered person

The Childcare Company (Grace Road) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0116 2833383 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

St George's Nursery School registered in 2019. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, nine hold qualifications at level 3 and three hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 the manager and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the provision. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk around the nursery to share what the staff provide and how this assists children in their learning and development. n The quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, was observed and the inspector assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with management, staff, parents and the children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff.

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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 September 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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