Soul Nursery

Inspection of Soul Nursery Heartsease Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 9NT

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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 happily arrive at this friendly, caring nursery. Staff make them feel welcome and support them to explore the activities on offer. This helps children to settle quickly. Babies shake musical toys and crawl around carefully considered spaces. Toddlers play with pretend ocean creatures and go off to find toy sharks to add into their game. Pre-school children paint their own pictures on sheets of foil.

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The provision is good

Children have great fun as they learn and play. As a result, they make good progress. For example, toddlers giggle and clap as they join in with action songs. Older children explore cause and effect as they fill containers, using pipettes. They laugh when water squirts out quickly. Children enjoy the sensory experience of playing with shaving foam. They immerse their hands into the mixture and celebrate when they find hidden objects.

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The provision is good

Children have strong bonds with all adults. Staff are gentle and kind with babies and engage them in regular singing times. If babies become upset, staff are quick to soothe and distract them with sensory toys and stories. Toddlers snuggle next to staff to look at books and play matching games. Older children greet staff with hugs and chat excitedly about what they are doing.

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need to do better?

n The curriculum builds on what children already know and can do. Staff use information obtained from parents to establish children's starting points. They assess children's progress and act on this information to support children's next steps. All children, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities, make good progress over time. n Children learn independence skills from the very start. This helps to prepare them for their next stage of learning. Babies feed themselves using their fingers and spoons. Toddlers take off their own shoes and put on their wellington boots. Children proudly demonstrate how they put on coats. They lay them on the floor and expertly flip them over their heads. Staff encourage children by saying 'keep trying'. n Children show cooperation and kindness. For example, they share out footballs and wait for their turn to use climbing equipment. They show an awareness of

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need to do better?

routines and expectations. Toddlers remind each other to 'stop and wait' at the top of a ramp when outdoor play sessions finish. Staff encourage turn taking. For example, they use sand timers to help children understand when their time has finished using a popular toy. n Children have opportunities to be physically active. Pre-school children use climbing equipment and slides. They chase each other and race around on bicycles. Staff encourage babies to crawl towards them. They sing 'Row, row,

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need to do better?

19 October 2022 row your boat' and support babies to move their arms forwards and backwards like oars. n Children develop their fine motor skills. This helps to strengthen their muscles in preparation for writing. Babies delight in drawing lines in cocoa powder. Toddlers expertly thread cereal hoops onto dried spaghetti to make towers. Children in the pre-school room use scissors to cut up feathers and shapes. They confidently make snips in paper to create their own 'feathers'. n Staff are happy in their roles. They comment on good levels of support and job satisfaction. Leaders monitor staff's practice and target training opportunities. Staff are encouraged to work with children of different ages. This helps to broaden their experience and skills. n Children receive support as they transition between rooms of the nursery. Staff pass on information about their care and emotional needs. As a result, children

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need to do better?

settle very quickly. n Parents comment that staff are approachable and friendly. They report that their children love attending. However, staff do not always support parents to fully understand what their children have been doing and build on this at home. n Staff support children's communication and language skills. Staff narrate children's play and introduce new vocabulary during story times. Staff in the baby room repeat words and give meaning to children's gestures. However, staff do not always model language so that children hear correctly pronounced words.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff complete regular training to keep their awareness of child protection issues up to date. They know the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. Staff know how to identify concerns regarding the behaviour of an adult. Robust recruitment procedures check that staff working with children are suitable to do so. Staff carry out daily risk assessments to help minimise risks and hazards. These cover the indoor and outside areas of the premises. This helps to keep children safe.

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should:

n strengthen partnerships with parents and support them with ways to extend their children's learning at home n support children's language development further by modelling the correct pronunciation of words and phrases.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY461424 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10236149 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 65 Number of children on roll 93 Name of registered person Soul Church Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01603 439586 Date of previous inspection 23 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Soul Nursery registered in 2013. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, and one holds a qualification at level 2. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and the period between Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 8am to 5.30pm. 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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector took account of parents' views of the nursery. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documents on request.

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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

19 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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