Little Teddies Nursery

Inspection of Little Teddies Nursery 12 Bowlers Croft, Basildon, Essex SS14 3EG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

At times, children do not receive good quality education. Not all staff have the skills they need to help children make good progress in their learning. Some activities are not well thought out and do not consistently meet the children's interests or their age and stage of development. Children are keen to take part and quickly engage in activities. They have secure relationships with staff and form positive friendships with each other. Children arrive happy and settle quickly. They have their own pegs with their photo and name to give them a sense of belonging. Older children are confident communicators. They listen carefully and try to repeat sounds to single words, as they take part in a phonics session.

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The provision requires improvement

Children make their own play dough, excitedly adding flour to change the dough's consistency. However, not all staff consistently model positive behaviour, allowing children to throw the flour, rather than redirecting their play. When children are engaged, they mould the dough, use shape cutters and are proud of their achievements. Children create their own Gruffalo houses out of bricks and staff use mathematical language, asking if their house is tall or small. This helps to develop children's understanding of early mathematical concepts.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery and have worked hard to implement the curriculum. However, this does not meet all children's learning needs. Staff do not always follow children's interests or capabilities. On occasion, staff stop children's play to count. For example, children become engrossed in building structures and some staff interrupt this play to ask them to count the bricks. n Arrangements for staff supervision are in place and provide time for meaningful, constructive discussions. The manager encourages her staff to attend training courses. However, although leaders have identified weaknesses and have plans to develop staff skills, this is not yet effective. n Staff plan some interesting activities based on what children need to learn next. However, some staff lack the experience to present the information to children in a way that offers the appropriate level of challenge to extend their learning.

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need to do better?

For example, they do not always manage discussions effectively during activities with larger groups of children. They do not explain the purpose of the activity or provide sufficient resources so that all children can participate. n Parents are very positive about the staff and the care their children receive. They appreciate the daily feedback. Many parents access the online app to look at and make comments on their children's learning. Parents state that their children are happy and eager to go to nursery. n Leaders know how they manage complaints and have a written procedure in place. However, they do not keep a record of complaints from parents or the

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need to do better?

10 October 2022 outcome. This is a requirement of the statutory framework. n The manager and staff have sought support from an external agency to provide guidance and advice when caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps them to gain access to more specialist services, such as speech and language therapists, should staff identify gaps in children's communication development. n Most children make progress in relation to their starting points. They learn to use good manners and complete age-appropriate tasks for themselves. Children pour their own drinks, controlling the jug well to avoid spillages. They independently hang their coats up, recognising their photograph and their name on the peg. n Children have the choice of a wide range of resources and they particularly like the home corner where they can role play. They have access to dolls, a changing area and bottles. Younger children become deeply involved in their

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need to do better?

pretend play as they feed and care for the dolls. However, staff do not always plan effectively for each activity to ensure that there are enough resources for all children to join in.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and how to keep children safe. They are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the local risks in their community. The manager has a good recruitment procedure and ensures all new staff have an induction. Staff are aware of how to report a concern about a colleague's behaviour. Staff attend regular meetings, which help to support their safeguarding knowledge and ensure it is up to date. The manager carries out regular risk assessments of the environment to minimise risks and maintain the children's safety.

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Due date

develop the curriculum to ensure it clearly identifies what it is that all children need to learn, how this reflects their individual needs and offers appropriate challenge, to help them make at least good progress 10/04/2023

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Due date

10 October 2022 focus professional development plans on improving staff's teaching skills that helps them to support children in building on what they already know and can do 10/04/2023

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Due date

keep written records of any complaints from parents and their outcome. 05/12/2022

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should:

n improve the monitoring of staff practice to develop their knowledge and understanding of how children learn, so that all children benefit from consistently good quality learning experiences n improve staff's awareness of modelling positive behaviour so that children understand what is expected.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2587500 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10249122 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Little Teddies Nursery Basildon Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01268524413 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Teddies Nursery registered in 2020 and is located in Basildon. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7am to 7pm, all year round, excluding public holidays and a week at Christmas. It employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, eight hold qualifications at level 3 and one holds a level 6 qualification. 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 their evaluation of the provider. n Leaders joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. 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 Staff and children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of an activity. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including the complaints procedure 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

10 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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