Bright Kids @ Mortimer

Inspection of Bright Kids @ Mortimer Mortimer Road Community Centre, Reading Road, South Shields NE33 4UG

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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 at ease in nursery. They confidently choose activities from the well-resourced indoor and outdoor areas. Staff are caring and attentive. This helps children who are new to the nursery settle very quickly. Children are motivated and willing to have a go. They concentrate while they make potions from sticks, leaves and flower petals in the 'Autumn Café'. They persevere, trying different ways to open a conker, so that they can take a look inside. They show high levels of curiosity while scooping out the contents of a pumpkin, exploring the texture of the pulp and seeds they find. Younger children explore colour mixing while they print pictures by dipping apples in paint.

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The provision is good

Leaders want the best for all children and take advice from other professionals to enhance practice. For example, they welcomed support to discover ways to help children to catch up in learning lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. This inspired them to make significant changes in the activities provided, the learning environment and routines. There are now increased opportunities for children to lead their own learning, make choices in their play and develop their ideas. Children are now making more rapid progress.

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need to do better?

n Staff generally know what they want children to learn next. They plan a range of appealing activities that support children's all-round development very well, overall. However, their teaching does not always precisely match children's learning needs. For example, two-year-old children find it difficult to use the tools provided to scoop out a pumpkin. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, however, benefit from highly detailed plans to support their learning. This contributes to the excellent progress that they make. n Curriculum plans are sequenced well, overall, to promote children's learning. For example, staff know that children need to develop their big muscles before moving on to finer physical skills. They encourage children to roll, snip and squeeze while they play with gingerbread scented dough, to strengthen their hands in preparation for early writing. n Staff place great emphasis on encouraging children's love of reading. Staff share

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need to do better?

familiar stories and bring songs and rhymes to life with appealing props and actions. Children join in with enthusiasm. They extend their vocabulary and develop a good understanding of new words. They speak with confidence and are articulate. n Leaders prioritise staff development, which is focused on improving outcomes for children. For instance, staff have developed their understanding of how to support children's mathematical learning. Children show a particular strength in this area. There is an embedded culture of self-reflection and commitment to

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need to do better?

17 October 2022 personal development across the staff team. This contributes to an excellent capacity to drive the quality of education to the highest levels. n Staff gather detailed information from parents when children first begin to attend. This helps to inform bespoke plans that meet children's care needs precisely. Parents describe the nursery as 'amazing' and say they 'cannot fault it'. They feel confident to share suggestions with staff and appreciate the good communication about what children have learned in nursery. n Children behave well. They pay attention to staff and understand the boundaries that are in place to keep them safe. Children develop early friendships and play happily together. For example, two children pretend to be parents in the role- play home area, feeding and dressing the dolls. n Staff help children to develop their independence. Children learn to manage tasks by themselves, for example putting on their coats and washing their

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need to do better?

hands. They very much enjoy the responsibility of helping to set the table for lunch. n Staff provide activities linked to a diverse range of customs and celebrations. However, they have not considered ways to deepen children's understanding of families and communities beyond their own. Activities are, at times, brief. Children's experiences and resources do not consistently reflect the diversity of the local community and wider world.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have excellent knowledge of how to safeguard children, which they share with the staff team. Staff know how to identify, respond to and report signs that indicate a child may be at risk from harm. The manager is alert to families who need support. She works closely with other agencies to get them the help they need. This helps to protect children's overall health and well-being. Recruitment procedures are robust. Rigorous checks help to ensure that staff are suitable to care for children. Risk assessments are shared with staff, who are vigilant to potential hazards in the nursery.

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should:

n focus teaching precisely on what children need to learn next even more consistently to help all children to make the best possible progress in their learning n extend the opportunities that children have to learn about, and respect, the similarities and differences between themselves and others, and to celebrate what makes them unique.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY490800 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 10229376 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 24 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Mortimer Community Network CiC

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reference number

Telephone number 0191 4566680 Date of previous inspection 17 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Bright Kids @ Mortimer registered in 2015 and is located in South Shields. There are eight members of childcare staff. Seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including one with qualified teacher status. Operating hours are from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The setting provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children.

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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 showed the inspector around the nursery. She talked about how the provision is organised and shared the nursery's vision and curriculum. n The manager and inspector evaluated an activity together. They discussed staff's effectiveness and the arrangements for their support and supervision. n The inspector observed activities and routines indoors and outdoors. She assessed the impact of staff's teaching on children's learning and development. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views. n Leaders met with the inspector to discuss leadership and management matters.

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Inspection activities

The inspector viewed a range of documents provided, including evidence of the suitability checks carried out on 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

17 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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