Explorers Day Nursery

Inspection of Explorers Day Nursery Adanac Drive, Adanac Park, Nursling, SOUTHAMPTON SO16 0AS

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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 eagerly come into nursery excited to see their friends. They have strong bonds with their key person and beam with delight when they see them. This helps them to feel settled as they know their key person will provide reassurance and cuddles if needed. For example, very young children put their arms up for cuddles when they are feeling tired. Children are kind and thoughtful. They show high levels of empathy from a very young age. For example, very young children pat each other's shoulders to provide reassurance when needed. Older children offer solutions to help others when there are minor conflicts. For instance, when children want to play with the same toy, other children find toys that are similar and offer these as suggestions instead.

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The provision is good

Children love looking at books, and staff frequently read stories to them. Children remember their favourite phrases and are keen to share. For example, they eagerly shout out, 'it's a squash and a squeeze' as staff read one of their favourite stories to them.

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The provision is good

Children develop their independence skills through everyday routines. For example, children get themselves ready for their nap. They take their shoes off as well as clothing, such as jumpers. They put these in their own baskets before snuggling under the blanket.

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need to do better?

n Staff implement an ambitious curriculum that builds on what children know as they develop. For example, early mark-making activities focus on children's large-muscle movements. Activities then become more focused on small-muscle skills as they get older and begin to write. n Staff have a strong knowledge of the children and their families. This means that they adapt activities to each child's individual needs as staff know exactly what children's next steps are. They also provide support to families and signpost them in the direction of additional help and information as needed. This helps children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make good progress in their learning and development. n Children with SEND are supported well. The strong support provided by key persons and the special educational needs coordinator means any gaps in children's learning and development start to close quickly. Staff tailor their

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need to do better?

expectations of children's behaviour to each individual as they celebrate the uniqueness of each child and the milestones special to them. This helps children to thrive. n Staff provide interesting and exciting opportunities for children to explore. This is appropriate to each child's age and stage of development. For example, older

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need to do better?

1 December 2022 children learn how to make their own play dough by choosing their own ingredients and quantities. Younger children explore the different textures of flour and cornflour as they role play making 'pizza'. These activities develop children's curiosity and critical-thinking skills. n Overall, children's language development is supported well. For example, staff introduce new words to children, such as 'scrape', and frequently sing different nursery rhymes. However, the development of speech sounds is not as consistently supported. For example, on occasion, staff do not use a consistent approach to support children who are ready to learn about letter sounds. This then impacts on the progress children make with their language development. n The manager has implemented supervision sessions to provide support, coaching and training for staff. Although staff comment positively on the support they receive from the manager, supervision needs to be embedded to identify

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need to do better?

any inconsistencies in practice and strengthen the good quality of teaching further. n Parents and staff have a strong relationship and work well in partnership together. Parents comment on how happy, friendly and supportive the staff are at nursery. They explain that they receive regular updates about their child's day and development. Parents comment that the updates help them to support their children's learning well at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk from harm. They know how to report concerns to their designated safeguarding leads and how to raise concerns with external agencies if required. This includes how to report allegations about a member of staff. Staff have a good understanding of a variety of safeguarding issues, such as county lines and radicalisation. The management team has a secure understanding of safe recruitment practice and how to ensure the ongoing suitability of staff. Staff risk assess each day and minimise hazards where needed. For example, children do not use the wooden play equipment while it is wet, to reduce the risk of slipping.

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should:

n strengthen ways to help children hear and practise using speech sounds so children who are ready for the next stage of learning make even more progress in their language skills n embed further the supervision processes for staff, to ensure that teaching of the highest quality is consistent across the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY418428 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10265576 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 90 Number of children on roll 106 Name of registered person Little Shipmates Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 023 8073 1448 Date of previous inspection 1 June 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Explorers Day Nursery registered in 2010. It operates from within the grounds of Adanac Park in Southampton. It is open from 8am to 6pm, each weekday, for 50 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 30 members of staff. Of these, 26 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above.

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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 manager explained the curriculum intentions to the inspector during the learning walk. n The inspector took part in discussions with the manager, the operations manager and staff during the inspection. n The manager and the inspector observed and evaluated an activity together. n The inspector observed staff and children throughout the day. n Parents shared their views with the inspector through discussions. n The inspector sampled relevant documents.

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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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Inspection activities

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