Explorers Day Nursery

Inspection of Explorers Day Nursery 56 Bath Road, Wells, Somerset BA5 3LQ

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children are calm, settled and enjoy their time in this setting. They separate well from their parents and form good relationships with staff. Staff encourage children to be as independent as possible. Children feel safe exploring their environment and the carefully arranged resources that are easily accessible. They engage well in activities of their choosing, showing a positive attitude towards learning.

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The provision is good

Relationships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the nursery and feel well informed about what their children are doing. Children behave extremely well. Staff encourage them to show respect for one another and the environment around them. Staff use the outdoor area to teach children about planting, growing and harvesting and to develop children's physical skills.

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The provision is good

Staff know the children well. They work in partnership with parents to gain information about what children can do and use this to plan the next steps in learning for children. Staff seek children's ideas for future activities and topics. They use children's interests to plan motivating activities that encourage children to learn. The manager and her team work hard to ensure that planning is relevant for all children and covers all aspects of learning and development. Staff work well together as a team and feel confident to suggest ideas for future areas of improvement.

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need to do better?

n Staff value and act upon parental input. For example, as a result of parental feedback, staff planned activities linked to emotional awareness and parents reported improvements in their children's emotional literacy skills. n Staff carefully manage changes at the nursery. They use information from parents to tailor the care provided to mirror routines from home. Staff move children up to the pre-school area when they feel that they are ready rather than when they hit a certain age. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) shares information with primary schools for children who may need more support. This enables children to settle well in the next stage of their education. n Staff provide activities that are carefully matched to what children need to learn next. However, children largely access these activities independently. Staff do not capitalise on key opportunities to interact with children and model key skills

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need to do better?

to extend learning further. n Children have good attitudes to learning. Staff encourage children to care for the environment. They involve them in tidying away and other day-to-day activities, such as recycling and harvesting crops from the garden. n Generally, staff provide clear structure and routines. However, there are times

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need to do better?

6 October 2022 when children are not engaged, particularly when moving between routine activities. For example, at mealtimes, all children have to wait for everyone to finish before they can go and play. This means that children sometimes spend too long waiting for the next activity to begin, missing out on purposeful interactions and potential learning time. n Staff encourage children to be physically active by planning physical movement 'wake and shake' sessions and plenty of time outside. Babies have many opportunities to pull themselves up as they learn to stand. Older children use the bike track to develop physical skills and to learn about road safety. Children strengthen their hand muscles as they make marks with paintbrushes, scoop rice into pots and use tweezers to grasp small objects. Children are developing the physical skills they will need in the next stage of their learning. n The manager ensures that she is very much involved with the children and

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need to do better?

parents. She monitors the quality of teaching by frequently observing practice and providing feedback. Staff report that they feel supported, and their opinions valued.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The staff are alert to signs of potential abuse, including exposure to extremist views. They know the procedure to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of children. In the event of an allegation against a colleague, staff are clear on the procedure to follow and the appropriate agencies to contact. Staff ensure that the environment is safe and secure through regular risk assessment. They ensure play equipment is suitable for the different ages and stages of children's development. The manager has good systems for recruiting staff and ensuring their ongoing suitability to work with children.

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should:

n improve staff interactions and modelling of skills with children, to deepen and extend children's learning n adapt daily routines to ensure that they are tailored to the children's needs to maximise children's learning time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY462695 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10236180 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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Total number of places

Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Weeks, Victoria Louise

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reference number

Telephone number 01749676215 Date of previous inspection 4 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Explorers Day Nursery registered in 2013. The nursery operates from a converted house situated in Wells, Somerset. It is open each weekday, from 7.45am until 5.30pm, all year round, except for the week of the August bank holiday and a week at Christmas. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 and two hold an appropriate childcare qualification at level 2.

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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 inspector and the manager conducted a learning walk to discuss how the nursery is organised, their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 A joint observation with the manager was carried out and discussions about the quality of the teaching observed were held. n Parents shared their views with the inspector, and these were considered to assess the effectiveness of partnerships with parents

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Inspection activities

n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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 October 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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