Little Learners Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Learners Day Nursery 57 Edge Lane, Stretford, MANCHESTER M32 8PA

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children are happy and confidently engage in a wide range of activities. They are greeted warmly by the staff and settle quickly. Children show high levels of self- esteem as they carry out self-care tasks. For example, toddlers attempt to wash their hands and faces, and older children see to their toileting needs. Staff interactions support children's learning well. This means children are motivated to learn and to explore their environment. Babies enjoy exploring shaving foam and paint, which helps them to develop the muscles in their hands in readiness for later learning. Children confidently use magnifying glasses to investigate insects and identify their body parts. Older children talk animatedly about different buildings, how they are constructed and the materials used. They use this information to create their own buildings outside.

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The provision is good

Children are well behaved. They understand the flow and routines of the nursery and are respectful of one another. Children play well alongside others, sharing resources and learning to take turns. Staff provide many opportunities for children to communicate with each other and to work collaboratively. The newly appointed manager is aware of the nursery's strengths and areas of development and has implemented new ways of working. Parents are complimentary about the care and support provided to their children. Children are well prepared with the essential skills to move into the next room or on to school.

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need to do better?

n Babies enjoy a wide range of sensory experiences which staff use to promote other learning. Staff talk and sing to babies throughout all activities. Staff model animal noises as they move the animals through the coloured foam. This supports children's growing communication skills. n Staff place great significance on getting to know the children's individual needs. They work effectively with parents to gather as much information as possible about children who are new to the setting. Staff take the time to get to know the children in their care. Consequently, children feel safe and seek out key staff for comfort when needed. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work closely with parents and professionals to ensure that children's needs are met. Staff implement strategies to help close any gaps in children's learning. For example, they use sign language to help non-verbal children to

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need to do better?

communicate. n Staff are skilled communicators who engage children well in conversations. They make effective use of questions to help children think and make predictions, such as what colour will be created when two colours are mixed. n Songs and rhymes are an integral part of most activities. Staff use specific songs

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need to do better?

6 September 2022 to help children know what is happening next. Staff introduce new vocabulary, such as 'mortar', 'slate' and 'antenna', to extend children's learning. n Children have good opportunities to practise their mark-making skills. They use a range of materials such as chalks, different-sized paintbrushes and pencils with increasing confidence to create patterns and a hopscotch grid and to attempt to form letters. n Children are emotionally resilient and are developing an understanding of staying safe. They remind staff to put out signage after spillages and encourage their friends to hold the banisters as they go up and down stairs. n Children use mathematical language well. They happily count ducks as they slide down chutes, and they recognise a range of numbers in the environment. Children talk about shapes and concepts such as more than and less than as they fill containers with water. n Overall, children make good progress. Key staff know their children well and

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need to do better?

provide specific activities to help them build on their prior learning. However, recent changes to curriculum planning and assessment are not yet rooted into staff's practice. This means occasionally, staff do not focus children's next steps sharply enough to extend children's learning to the highest level. n The new manager has a clear vision and improvement plan for the nursery. Following a nursery restructure, staff are developing well as a team. Staff training enhances their knowledge and skills effectively. However, opportunities for staff to share good practice with colleagues are not embedded. That said, staff are committed to providing the best possible care and education to children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a sound understanding of their responsibilities in keeping children safe. They have completed training to ensure that their knowledge and skills are current. Staff confidently describe what action they would take if they were concerned about a child or the practice or conduct of a colleague. Staff are deployed effectively and supervise the children well. Risk assessments are conducted daily to ensure that children can play in a safe environment. Effective procedures are in place for the recruitment and induction of new staff. This means children are cared for by suitable staff.

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should:

n support staff to firmly embed the new curriculum so that they can focus more clearly on what children need to learn next and help them to gain the most from the available learning opportunities

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should:

6 September 2022 n encourage staff to share their skills and good practice with each other to build on the quality of education throughout the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY334693 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 10243970 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 94 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person Honeysuckle Care Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 8653803 Date of previous inspection 14 April 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Little Learners Day Nursery registered in 2006. The nursery employs 27 members of childcare staff. Of these, 25 hold a relevant early years qualification at level 2 or above. Two members of staff are unqualified. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year, except for one week over the Christmas holiday and bank holidays. 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 The inspector discussed any continued 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 and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector observed interactions between the staff and children during activities and assessed the quality of teaching. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do at nursery. n The inspector spoke to parents and read the emails sent during the inspection to gather their views on 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

6 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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