Southlands Kindergarten

Inspection of Southlands Kindergarten 15 Southlands Avenue, Newcastle, Staffordshire ST5 8BZ

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at this wonderfully welcoming and inclusive kindergarten. The quality of education they receive is outstanding, and it leaves them superbly equipped with the key skills and attitudes they need for future learning. Children display high levels of enjoyment in their learning, being with the nurturing staff and with each other. Staff provide children with an incredible array of activities and experiences, both indoors and outdoors. Children develop excellent understanding of current affairs. For example, they talk about the Queen's passing, the flowers they delivered to the 'memorial' and how 'we have a new king now'.

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The provision is outstanding

Behaviour is exemplary. Children show exceptional care and concern for their friends. For instance, as they use bubbles and wands, a child asks another: 'would you like to share mine?'. Children take turns to be the daily helper, when they get the opportunity to help to prepare snack and set the table for lunch.

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The provision is outstanding

Children demonstrate a sense of pride and ownership in the kindergarten. They show visitors photographs of themselves undertaking tasks in the gardening club. They use their excellent language skills to explain in detail how about how they prepared the ground, sowed the seeds and watered them. They talk about how they 'harvested' their 'crop' and what they cooked and ate.

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need to do better?

n The innovative and dynamic management and staff team work tirelessly to ensure all aspects of the service they provide are of the very highest quality. They have meticulously planned a rich and inspirational curriculum that focuses precisely on children's interests and learning needs. As a result, children make rapid progress from their starting points. n The provider has established an excellent shared culture of ongoing reflective practice and self-evaluation. She includes the views of managers, staff, parents and children, with the input of all highly valued. This relentless drive to further improve supports the identification of clear and achievable priorities for development. n The provider is diligent in carrying out supervisions and monitoring of staff performance. She provides staff with exceptionally clear and purposeful direction, offering them targeted support and training linked to the needs of the

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need to do better?

children who attend. n Staff and managers rigorously monitor children's learning and development. They use this information to plan the rich and well-resourced learning environment, activities and experiences they offer. n Parents sing the praises of the staff, who they say are 'totally dedicated'. They say the care and education their children receive is exceptional. Parents

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need to do better?

16 September 2022 comment on the 'amazing progress' their children make in all areas of learning. Parents are fully aware of their children's learning in the kindergarten and how to continue to support this while at home. n Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve and teach with passion and enthusiasm. They build on children's strong desire to learn. Staff plan exciting activities to enable children to make use of the local amenities. For example, in the local supermarket, staff help children to develop their knowledge of mathematics as they pay for shopping, recognise numbers and weigh produce. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. Parents and other agencies are fully involved. This helps to ensure that these children are extremely well supported, and care is tailored to their individual needs, so they make the best possible progress. Managers make sure

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need to do better?

they use any additional funding to help to address any gaps in children's learning. n Staff support children to develop an excellent understanding of letters and associated sounds. Older children are able to write their name with clear, well formed, recognisable letters. n Staff support children's communication skills exceptionally well. They ensure children are immersed in a language rich environment consistently throughout the day. They listen intently as staff read stories. Children ask interesting questions and predict endings. Mealtimes are very sociable events, where staff initiate fabulous conversations with children. Children are articulate and confident at expressing their ideas and opinions. For example, a toddler holds up their hand during a group discussion, and says: 'excuse me, I have news too'. n The curriculum for physical development is exceptionally ambitious. Staff use the spacious garden expertly to provide activities that have a positive impact on

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need to do better?

children's physical health. Children talk with enthusiasm about the swimming sessions they take part in each week.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant to ensure children's safety. They have a thorough knowledge of the potential signs and symptoms of abuse and are confident of the procedure to follow in the event of a concern about a child in their care. The provider follows safer recruitment procedures to help to deem all staff, working with children, are suitable to do so. Children learn to keep themselves and their friends safe. For example, they alert other children of their presence when using wheeled toys, so they do not bump into each other. Staff are always aware of where children are and supervise them well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 218488 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10116252 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 29 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Southlands Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 626148 Date of previous inspection 6 September 2013

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Information about this early years setting

Southlands Kindergarten registered in 1991 and is on the Early Years Register. The kindergarten employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 to level 6. The kindergarten opens Monday to Friday, 49 weeks of the year. It is closed for bank holidays and for a week at Easter, Christmas and the end of August. The opening hours are from 7.35am until 5.45pm. The kindergarten 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 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 provider and the manager led the inspector on a learning walk and told her what they wanted the children to learn at the nursery. The manager and the inspector carried out a joint evaluation of an activity together. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector held discussions with the provider, manager, special educational needs coordinator and staff throughout the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, including qualifications, and viewed evidence of the suitability of

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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

16 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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