Sunhill Early Years Stowmarket

Inspection of Sunhill Early Years Stowmarket 12 Bury Street, STOWMARKET, Suffolk IP14 1HA

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children arrive at the nursery and are greeted by warm and friendly staff. Children feel a sense of belonging and steadily build independence as they hang their coat on their peg before venturing off to play. Staff foster strong and positive attachments with children in their care. They provide a respectful learning culture by gently reminding children to use 'please' and 'thank you' and giving meaningful praise for their efforts and achievements. Children show empathy and compassion to their peers by patting them on the back to comfort them when they have a tickly cough. Children are extremely polite and well mannered throughout the nursery.

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The provision is good

Children learn about what makes them unique. They delight in sharing pictures of themselves and their families at group time. The learning environment is calming, and all children have the opportunity to speak and have their ideas and opinions heard. Subsequently, children develop good listening and attention skills. Children frequently instigate discussions with staff and peers. They benefit from regular trips to the neighbouring pre-school setting. The environment becomes familiar to them as they enjoy playing in their outdoor garden. Additionally, these visits help to support seamless transitions for children who will move to this pre-school after finishing their time at nursery.

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need to do better?

n Overall, teaching is meaningful. Learning environments are beautifully resourced and help to promote all areas of learning. Staff build excellent partnerships with parents early on and gather information about children before they start. This first-hand knowledge, and an effective key-person system, enables staff to plan activities and adapt resources that are linked to children's individual interests and preferred learning styles. As a result, children become motivated learners and make good progress in all areas of learning. However, occasionally, staff do not take advantage of all opportunities to extend babies' learning and development further. n Communication and language are prioritised. Staff introduce new vocabulary and ask questions that enable children to respond and practise their speech and language skills. Staff respond well to babies' babbling as they learn to communicate. Staff seek early advice from outside professionals, such as speech

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need to do better?

and language professionals. As a result, any gaps in children's learning are swiftly identified and individual support is put in place. n Children develop a love of reading as staff enthusiastically read to children. Books are skilfully placed across the provision and staff use these to prompt discussions and support deeper understanding of what is being taught. For example, staff encouraged children to count rabbits in a book they were reading. Later, a child was counting buttons and recalled that there were three buttons,

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need to do better?

1 December 2022 like the rabbits in the book. The impact of the curriculum on what children know, remember and can do, is highly effective. n Children's physical and emotional well-being are carefully considered. Despite there not being an outdoor garden, the provider has created a woodland-themed room with natural resources to provide outdoor activities inside. Children develop physical skills, such as running and jumping, as they go on regular trips to the park. Staff support children by giving them age-appropriate responsibilities so they can contribute their own ideas. Staff encourage and promote the individual characters of children. n Children are becoming increasingly independent in managing their personal needs. Children serve their own meals and learn to make healthy food choices. Effective hygiene practices are in place. Children use their initiative and wash their hands before mealtimes. However, the organisation at mealtimes means

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need to do better?

that, sometimes, babies become frustrated as they wait for long periods of time at the table to be served their food. n The management team works collaboratively and efficiently. Managers are reflective and attend regular training to continuously improve outcomes for children. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making good progress in their learning and development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is given the highest priority. There is an established safeguarding culture that ensures staff have a detailed understanding and awareness of swiftly recognising a child who may be at risk of harm. Staff understand wider safeguarding issues, including grooming and exploitation. They know how to report concerns in a timely manner. Robust and safe recruitment processes are in place to ensure staff are all suitable to work with children. All staff understand the whistle- blowing procedure they would follow if they had a concern about a colleague, and they are aware of local child protection procedures.

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should:

n monitor staff practice to ensure all children are consistently challenged to make even more progress in their learning n review and improve the organisation of mealtimes, so that the needs of all children are considered and the length of time children spend waiting is reduced.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2592548 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10249183 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 44 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Sunhill Daycare (Europe) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01449 774800 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Sunhill Early Years Stowmarket registered in 2020. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. 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 provider 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. n The nursery manager and the inspector completed a tour of the setting to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. Additionally, the manager showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure they are safe and suitable. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. The inspector had discussions with the manager about how they provide daily outdoor learning opportunities, as the setting does not have an outdoor garden. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of group activities with the manager and also discussed self-evaluation. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. Parents and carers

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Inspection activities

shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team. The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the setting and a selection of other key records.

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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

1 December 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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