Clarence House Grantham

Inspection of Clarence House Grantham 70 Barrowby Gate, Grantham NG31 7LT

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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 keen to explore and investigate toys and resources. Babies use their hands to feel the texture of dough and spaghetti on their hands. Younger children show good hand-to-eye coordination when they use containers to fill and empty water. Pre-school children are creative when they put rice in cases and pretend to make cakes. Children are physically active. Babies climb steps to apparatuses and laugh when they are caught by staff at the bottom of a low-level slide. Staff know the children well and follow their interests. For example, when children show an interest in leaves in the garden, staff encourage them to use leaves in different ways. For example, children develop their early writing skills when they use pens and paper to draw around the leaves. They stand on leaves in a bucket and are asked to hear the crunching sound they make. This contributes to children's understanding of nature.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Pre-school children work as a team when they use cylinders to build a tower, taking it in turns to stack them on top of each other. Younger children celebrate when they sing nursery rhymes by themselves. They clap their hands in recognition of their achievements.

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need to do better?

n When children returned to the setting after the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager reflected on the impact of the pandemic on children's development. She identified that younger children need further opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children access an indoor climbing frame where they have opportunities to develop their strength, balance and coordination. n Children have opportunities to develop a love of books. Staff encourage babies to lift flaps in books and to point to different images on the pages. Staff support parents to continue children's interest in books at home. For example, children take books home for parents to read to them. n Overall, children benefit from many opportunities to support their communication and language skills. Staff sing nursery rhymes with children and talk to them. They ask children questions, encouraging their thinking skills. However, staff are not always quick to identify when the quieter and less

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need to do better?

confident pre-school children need further support to contribute during planned group activities. n The manager and staff provide a curriculum that supports children to be ready for the future, such as to complete tasks on their own. For example, younger children are encouraged to pull up zips on their coats and to serve themselves food at snack time. Pre-school children use cutlery to eat their lunch. n The manager and staff offer children a range of healthy meals and snacks. Children show an interest in talking about their favourite fruits, such as pears

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need to do better?

17 October 2022 and apples. However, staff do not fully support younger children to build on their knowledge further. For example, they do not help them to extend their understanding of the health benefits of eating nutritious foods. n Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Targeted plans are in place to support children's individual needs, such as to develop their social skills. n The manager uses additional funding effectively to meet the needs of individual children. For instance, money from the pupil premium is used to provide additional sessions for some children during the school holidays. This helps to provide continuity in their care and learning. n Staff actively promote positive behaviour. They give children praise and a high five for their achievements. This helps to raise their self-esteem and helps them

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need to do better?

to understand what is expected of them. n The manager supports staff through supervision and staff meetings. Staff are given targets to help extend their professional development. Staff consider how to develop opportunities for pre-school children to build on their mathematical skills. For example, they increase the range of resources, such as weighing scales and dice, that children access independently to support their interests and play.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager follows a safe recruitment procedure to ensure that new staff are suitable for their roles. The manager ensures that staff's knowledge of safeguarding is current. For example, she provides them with regular updates of changes in legislation and gives them quizzes to complete to test their knowledge. The manager and staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. They know where to report concerns about children's safety. Staff carry out daily risk assessments to help provide a safe environment for children to play. They make changes to the layout of furniture in the baby room to help reduce risks when babies begin to climb.

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should:

n help staff to give the quieter and less confident pre-school children the support they need to fully contribute during planned group activities n support staff to build further on younger children's understanding of the benefits of making healthy choices about food.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY478405 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10233402 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 60 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person Clarence House Day Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01476 978720 Date of previous inspection 22 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Clarence House Grantham registered in 2014 and is situated in Grantham, Lincolnshire. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, eight at level 3, one at level 4, two who hold qualified teacher status and the manager who holds early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 nursery. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed how she intends to implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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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