Spotted Dog Childrens Centre

Inspection of Spotted Dog Childrens Centre Clawthorpe Hall Business Centre, Clawthorpe, Carnforth, Lancashire LA6 1NU

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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 show delight in their play and learning. They happily greet their friends and quickly engage them in play. Children excitedly help staff to prepare for a 'teddy bears tea party'. Children make 'hot chocolate' for the bears and exclaim in delight as they realise that warmer water helps the hot chocolate powder to dissolve. Children show that they feel safe as they confidently greet visitors and bring them a book to look at.

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The provision is good

Children develop a love of books from an early age. The nursery's core stories have become firm and well-thumbed favourites. Stories link into the nursery's core values that staff focus on instilling in children. Staff are good role models, and children work hard to meet their high expectations. Children learn to be aware of their own behaviour and the effect that it has on others. For example, children strive to 'reach the moon' on the behaviour monitoring chart. They move along the stars towards the moon by displaying particularly kind behaviours.

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The provision is good

Children learn to talk about feelings and manage their emotions with consistent support from the sensitive staff. Staff place a strong focus on children's emotional well-being. This also helps children learn to manage frustrations. Children learn to overcome setbacks and develop resilience.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team is dedicated to improving outcomes for children. There is a strong culture of support among leaders and staff. Senior leaders are supporting the childcare manager in gradually taking on further responsibilities within her role. n Overall, staff access training that is focused to benefit children. For example, all staff learn to sign, which they use with children from the youngest age to aid their developing communication skills. However, strategies used to monitor staff practice are not yet fully embedded. This means that the childcare manager does not yet focus precisely enough on what further support staff need for their individual professional development in order to raise the quality of practice to the highest levels. n The special educational needs coordinator has an excellent understanding of her role. She works closely with staff and parents to implement strategies to support

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need to do better?

children's individual needs. She also has strong links with external agencies, enabling timely access to further support children. This helps to narrow any gaps in children's learning and development. n Staff monitor and assess children's progress effectively. They plan for children's learning using their knowledge of what children already know and can do. Staff consider children's individual styles of learning and interests to help promote

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need to do better?

16 November 2022 engagement in their learning. For example, staff encourage children who are reluctant to sit and draw to engage in mark making by standing up and creating spider webs on easels. This helps children to make good progress across a broad and balanced curriculum. n Children learn to make healthy lifestyle choices. They have good opportunities to be physically active from the youngest age. Staff support older babies to walk up and down the stairs each day. Older children enjoy peddling tricycles in the outdoor area. Children enjoy healthy food at snack and lunchtimes. Children's overall well-being is well supported. n Staff encourage children to manage their own personal care needs. Older babies have plenty of opportunities to practise dressing and undressing as staff support them to dress up in different outfits with their friends. There is a strong focus on toilet training throughout the setting. Staff work with parents to help support

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need to do better?

their children's developing independence skills at home. n Staff help children to learn about the world. Children search for bugs in the nursery garden and learn about edible flowers through interesting discussions with staff. Staff teach children about those people who protect our country as they learn about Remembrance Day. Children learn some Dutch words as staff help them to find out about their friend's heritage. Children begin to learn about life in modern Britain. n Leaders and staff have established supportive relationships with parents. Parents comment positively on leaders' flexibility to adapt to their family's needs. Staff communicate well with parents, using a variety of methods to suit parents' preferences. Staff update parents regularly about their children's development and offer ideas about how they can extend their children's learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a thorough understanding of safeguarding policies and practice. They can identify signs and symptoms of abuse and are confident in referring any concerns that they may have about a child in their care using the appropriate procedures. Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of how to protect children from prevalent local safeguarding issues, such as county lines. They also understand the procedure to follow if they are concerned about the behaviour of a colleague. Staff carry out regular risk assessments of equipment and premises to ensure that they are free from hazards and safe for use by children.

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should:

n develop systems for monitoring staff practice, to raise the quality of education even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY298397 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10234886 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

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Name of registered person

Deborah Duckett and Claire Robinson Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01524 784321 Date of previous inspection 4 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Spotted Dog Children's Centre registered in 2005. It is privately owned and situated in Clawthorpe Hall Business Centre, Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria. The setting employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, and nine at level 3. The manager holds early years professional status and is a qualified teacher. The setting opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round, except for one week over the Christmas period. The setting 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 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 childcare manager, area manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The childcare manager carried out joint observations of group activities with the

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Inspection activities

inspector. n Several parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection, and their views were taken into account. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

16 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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