Happy Days Nursery

Inspection of Happy Days Nursery Sacred Heart Church, Downey Street Entrance, Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire ST1 3BY

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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 arrive happy and settled. They build respectful relationships with key people. This helps them to feel safe and secure. For example, young children ask for specific staff to support their sleep routines, and they receive time to finish their play before they move on to the next part of the routine. This shows staff have high expectations for children's learning. Children are curious, and they demonstrate positive behaviours through cooperative play with peers. For example, children learn that when they swirl their hand, a button falls out of the cup they are holding.

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The provision is good

Older children benefit from a free-flow environment. They make independent choices as to where they want to play. When children prefer to participate in activities indoors, their views are accounted for, and staff explore other ways to promote their physical development. All children can make good progress.

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The provision is good

Children display secure fine motor skills, which they use to enhance their mathematical performance. For example, children count with their fingers to represent number, and they select a variety of small buttons to learn about order, size and shape. They identify that the 'five-pointed shape' is a 'star', and they know that 'stars are found in the sky'. This demonstrates prior knowledge and an understanding of concepts previously taught.

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need to do better?

n The nursery is well established within the community. This means staff know families well, and they work hard to maintain partnerships with parents and other professionals involved with the family. For instance, when children attend two settings, staff work closely with other key people to ensure a collaborative approach to support children's learning and development. n Staff gather information from parents about their children when they first join the setting to inform planning. Online systems help to further strengthen the sharing of information with parents. Parents say that 'staff are extremely supportive,' and they provide parents with advice and constructive support to help meet their family's needs. n Staff know the children well, including children who are not based in their room. They regularly discuss children's learning, and leaders implement a secondary key-person system that helps children to continue to learn in the absence of

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need to do better?

their key person. However, leaders do not fully identify the specific skills and knowledge staff acquire, which are worthy of sharing with less-experienced staff. As a result, methods of teaching can vary. This does not help children to reach their full potential. n Children's language development is a primary focus from an early age, including

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need to do better?

8 November 2022 for children who speak English as an additional language. Staff complete a 'communication screening' to assess children's understanding of language and create targeted next steps to enhance children's speech during play. Additionally, staff introduce familiar words to children in their home language and read stories which link to children's experiences. This helps children to create comparisons between languages spoken and languages taught. n Children are growing in their independence. For example, once babies have grasped bringing a toy to their mouth, staff plan more experiences to practise their hand-to-eye coordination, such as having their own spoon at mealtimes. This helps babies to practise feeding themselves and develop the skills they need to be self-sufficient at the next stage of their learning. As a result, older children independently get themselves a drink when they are thirsty, and they

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need to do better?

are confident to eat their food with the appropriate cutlery. n Children who receive additional funding, such as pupil premium, benefit from purposefully bought resources, such as 'emotion cards' that help children to discuss their feelings. Staff confidently identify children at risk of falling behind in their learning, and they engage in close partnerships with outside agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to share observations. This early intervention means children's needs are quickly met and barriers in learning are overcome. n Overall, leaders carry out an effective programme to manage staff performance. For example, they work in the rooms with staff to deliver the curriculum. This helps leaders to oversee good practice. Leaders identify that since the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been limited opportunities to further upskill staff. However, staff have continued to complete required mandatory training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They know what actions to take should a concern be raised about a child's welfare. Unqualified staff know where they can find the relevant information to ensure they know what to do should they have safeguarding concerns. Staff are confident to whistle-blow should they have concerns for a colleague's conduct. They are deployed effectively and supervise children well. Effective risk assessments ensure that children can play safely indoors and outdoors. For example, when babies mix with older children in the pre-school room, staff reflect on the possible risks the environment may pose to babies.

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should:

n mentor and share good practice with less-experienced staff to enhance the continuity of care and build on the quality of education throughout the setting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495124 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10236758 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 27 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Happy Days Nursery Stoke On Trent Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 286360 Date of previous inspection 11 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Happy Days Nursery registered in 2015. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5 and four at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks a year, except for bank holidays. 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 setting 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 setting. n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of the manager with the provider. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. The views of parents were considered by the inspector through verbal discussions. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including evidence of the suitability of those working with children and safeguarding policies.

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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

8 November 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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