Chipmunks Day Nursery

Inspection of Chipmunks Day Nursery 34 Buxton Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9PJ

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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 happy and confident. They settle quickly and form good relationships with their key person. Staff have a good knowledge of each child's interests and stage of development. Staff use this knowledge to provide motivating learning experiences for all children, including those with additional needs. The environment is carefully planned and resourced. This supports children's learning in all areas of the curriculum. For example, older children enjoy playing and learning on the outside terrace. Younger children show excitement in the sensory activities in the messy room. They run into the room, smiling, and immediately explore the activities.

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The provision is good

Children make good progress with their language and communication. Staff name the resources children play with and use a range of vocabulary. Children then confidently repeat these new words. For example, pre-school children tell each other, 'I've got some castanets.'

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The provision is good

Children show high levels of involvement in their play and learning. This helps them develop their skills, knowledge and concentration. For example, children are keen to hammer golf tees into oasis blocks. Staff encourage them to persevere when the task becomes difficult. They tell adults, 'I did it' and 'I did it again.'

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need to do better?

n Staff provide a balanced curriculum based on children's interests and developmental stages. The curriculum is sequenced and builds on what children know, and children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. n Staff give children lots of reassurance and praise. This helps children feel a sense of pride in their achievements. For example, at the end of a song-time activity, babies look at the staff and clap, with big smiles on their faces. n Children's language skills are progressing well. Staff in all rooms enhance children's vocabulary. For example, staff in the baby room use props and make animal noises during song time to reinforce key words. Babies watch, listen and repeat back these animal noises. n Children confidently use mathematical concepts and vocabulary in their play. Staff support younger children to count as they build towers. Older children use words such as 'heavier', 'bigger' and 'more' while making Halloween potions.

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need to do better?

n Parents speak positively about the support and communication they receive from staff. They comment on the nursery having a family feel. n Children enjoy the outdoor activities staff provide for them. However, staff do not always plan activities for children to be physically active, to enhance their gross motor skills and help them understand the importance of developing healthy bodies.

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need to do better?

13 October 2022 n Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They set clear routines and boundaries and reinforce these consistently. This means children behave well and listen attentively to instructions, stories and rhymes. n A range of technological toys are available for older children to play with. Staff do not make the most of opportunities to actively engage children in play with these toys in order to develop their learning in this area of the curriculum. n Staff encourage children to embrace their uniqueness. For example, toddlers use mirrors to paint self-portraits. Staff display these paintings to promote and value cultural diversity. n Daily routines encourage children to be independent and enable them to be social and interact with each other. For example, low tables are set out for babies to eat together. They smile and babble to each other while waiting for their food. n Healthy eating is encouraged and promoted throughout the nursery. Staff use

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need to do better?

role-play toys to teach children about dental hygiene. Older children help the cook prepare their lunch, and they often grow their own food in the garden. n Staff encourage children to wash their hands and teach them how to manage their own safety. For example, staff remind children to walk rather than run in busy spaces. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to encourage children to independently manage their personal needs. For example, when supporting them to wipe their noses themselves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues. They know their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding all children. They know the signs of abuse and neglect and understand what to do if they have any concerns about a child. Staff attend regular safeguarding training. The manager undertakes regular risk assessments of the environment. She does this daily for the garden. This helps to reduce and minimise any potential hazards. The accident policy and procedures are robust, and staff know what to do in the event of an accident. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n take opportunities to actively promote the use of technology to enhance children's learning in this area n use outside opportunities to enhance the development of children's gross motor skills n encourage older children to be independent in managing their personal needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY454944 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10235997 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 121 Number of children on roll 141 Name of registered person Chipmunks Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01305 760060 Date of previous inspection 1 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Chipmunks Day Nursery registered in 2012. It is situated in the Rodwell area of Weymouth, Dorset. The nursery operates each weekday, from 7.45am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 23 staff to work with children. Of these, one member of staff holds qualified teacher status, the manager and one other member of staff hold relevant qualifications at level 4, 15 members of staff hold qualifications at level 3, and four a 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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector held discussions with the manager throughout the inspection and discussed how the curriculum is planned and implemented and how children's progress is monitored. n The inspector observed interactions between practitioners and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager of a planned language activity in the pre-school room. n Parents spoke to the inspector, and the manager shared emails from parents.

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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

13 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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