Mama Bear's Day Nursery

Inspection of Mama Bear's Day Nursery 63 Downend Road, Downend, Bristol BS16 5UF

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children are gaining some of the skills they need to help them in their future learning and eventual move on to school. However, due to some weaknesses in teaching, not all children make good enough progress in their learning and development. Children are happy to come to the nursery, and staff support children to settle and are quick to offer comfort and additional reassurance to children when needed. This helps children build close relationships with staff and supports their emotional needs well.

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The provision requires improvement

Young children relish in exploring a range of interesting resources that are freely available to them, and they have opportunities to explore with their senses. Older children enjoy group activities outdoors, such as parachute play where they develop their physical and social skills. Overall, children find things to do and are busy in their play. Some of the children's interests are reflected in the activities on offer. However, staff do not always ensure that teaching and interactions with children challenge and extend their learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children behave well and get on well with one another. Staff work hard to learn about children's lives outside of the nursery and build effective relationships with parents. Leaders are aware of the areas for improvement within the nursery and are proactively self-evaluating and planning ways to address the issues.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching is variable. Some staff do not have a good enough understanding of child development or understand the intent behind what has been planned for children. Activities and planned learning are not always implemented consistently for the children aged over two years in the pre-school room. This means staff do not focus enough on what each child needs to learn next. As a result, children do not make the best possible progress in their learning, including children in receipt of early years pupil premium funding. n Parents speak well of the nursery. They value the daily feedback they receive from staff about their child's day and find the sharing of observations and photographs via the nursery app helpful. n Staff model vocabulary and single words to babies as they play and give children ongoing commentary of their play, so they develop an understanding of words. Staff engage children in regular discussions and conversations. This encourages

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need to do better?

children to speak and builds their confidence in communicating in preparation for the eventual move on to school. Staff obtain words in children's home languages to aid communication and understanding for children who speak English as an additional language. n Leaders are aware of areas that require improvement and have begun taking

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need to do better?

20 September 2022 steps to address them, such as through offering more targeted support to pre- school staff to help improve their knowledge and understanding of how children learn and how to implement the curriculum most effectively. However, this is in its early stages, and they have not fully addressed the weaknesses in teaching to raise the quality of education to a consistently good level. n Although staff supervise children well overall to help keep them safe, and some appropriate risk assessment procedures are in place, staff do not always identify possible hazards to children. During the inspection, the inspector found possible hazards to children in the shed and courtyard area outside. However, leaders took immediate action when these were identified, to minimise the hazards and to improve the ongoing procedures. n At times, children are encouraged to develop their independence. Older children

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need to do better?

self-serve their lunch and manage their own toileting needs, and younger children have opportunities to self-select toys and resources. n Staff work with parents to offer a continuity of care from home and try to mirror children's individual routines to help them feel secure and settle. This supports children's personal development well. n Some learning environments are well resourced and stimulating. In these instances, children's creativity and engagement is encouraged well. However, this is inconsistent, and some learning environments are not adequately inviting to children. This has a negative impact on children's learning and levels of engagement. For example, some resources and areas of the building are in poor condition. n Most pre-school children enjoy group opportunities to sing songs. However, particularly at changeover times in routine, staff do not organise group times as well as they could. They do not always engage all children or minimise

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a good knowledge of the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect. They are clear about procedures to follow should they become concerned about the welfare of a child in their care. Staff know how to escalate their concerns outside of the setting if required. Staff have regular and suitable child protection and first-aid training for their role.

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Due date

20 September 2022 ensure all staff receive support, training and coaching opportunities to help raise the quality of teaching to at least a good level and help them understand how to implement the curriculum 20/12/2022

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Due date

ensure that all staff identify suitable next steps for children's learning and use planning effectively to provide challenge and enjoyable experiences for every child so that they make good progress in all areas of their development 20/12/2022

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Due date

ensure that risk assessment and daily safety checks are thorough in identifying and minimising hazards to children's safety with specific reference to outside. 27/09/2022

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should:

n enhance environments to make them more stimulating so children are inspired in their learning and deeply engage in their play n organise group singing times to engage pre-school children fully and develop their concentration skills without distraction.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY363560 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 10252602 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 70 Name of registered person Mama Bear's Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0117 3305 300 Date of previous inspection 21 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Mama Bear's Day Nursery registered in 2007 and is situated in Downend, Bristol. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualifications at level 5 and seven hold qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm, throughout the year. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. 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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector held discussions with leaders at appropriate times during the inspection and in a scheduled meeting. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk together across all areas of the nursery to understand how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed children's activities and staff teaching, indoors and outdoors. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including staff suitability to work with children. n The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children during the inspection and took

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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

20 September 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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