Rock Cottage Day Nursery

Inspection of Rock Cottage Day Nursery Breach Road, Brown Edge, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST6 8TR

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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 that they are happy and safe in this caring and well-organised setting. An effective key-person system ensures that children build positive relationships with staff. Young babies settle extremely well. Routines are flexible to meet their individual needs and enable babies to flourish.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is good. Children are respectful and kind to their friends. They share their resources extremely well. Children of all ages play harmoniously alongside their peers. Young children laugh and giggle as they hold hands and play together. They wave goodbye to their friends as they leave at the end of the day. Pre-school children engage in conversation about their self-portraits displayed on the wall. They recall the features of themselves and their friends. They laugh together as they review each other's artwork. Children are building secure and enjoyable friendships.

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The provision is good

Staff promote children's love of books. Children enjoy selecting their favourite stories and handle books with care. Young children thoroughly enjoy story time sessions. They cosy up on the laps of staff and listen intently to a story about Christmas. Staff involve older children in storytelling. They skilfully pause and ask questions, allowing children to recall words and phrases of familiar stories. As a result, children are making excellent progress with their early literacy skills.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff have created a well-sequenced curriculum. It builds on children's skills and knowledge and prepares them well for their next stage of learning. Staff consider children's interests and developmental needs, and plan a range of engaging activities that motivate them. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making good progress in their learning. n Staff plan activities to broaden children's imaginative skills. Children develop their understanding of the world around them through activities relating to festivals and celebrations. This helps children to learn about similarities and differences in an enjoyable way. Children visit the on-site care home and explore the private grounds that surround the setting. However, there is scope for staff to plan even more experiences to deepen children's knowledge and understanding of the wider world around them.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's mathematical development well. They use mathematical language in a range of enjoyable ways as children play. Children enjoy developing their early mathematical skills. For example, children use a range of tools to create 'big' and 'small' snowmen out of play dough. Pre-school children recognise the numbers one to 10 in an exciting game.

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need to do better?

2 December 2022 n Children are learning about healthy lifestyles and good hygiene practices. They wipe their own hands and faces with their own individual cloths after lunch. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that toilet training is consistent and successful. Children have daily exercise outdoors. There are effective systems in place to ensure that children's specific dietary needs are met. n Children develop the essential skills that they need in readiness for school. They develop independence through daily routines and activities. For example, at lunchtime, they pour their own water or milk and self-serve their own vegetables. However, on occasion, staff do not always encourage older children to practise independence skills that they have identified as key milestones in their curriculum. For instance, there are times when staff cut up children's food for them without fully encouraging them to try to do this for themselves. This

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need to do better?

prevents children's personal development being promoted to the highest possible level. n Partnership with parents is a real strength of the setting. Parents warmly describe the friendliness of the staff and feel that their children's individual needs are met. They comment that their children are incredibly happy at the setting. Parents are kept very well informed of every aspect of their child's progress. They know their child's next steps for learning. This helps to build on children's learning in their home environment. n Leadership within the setting is strong. The manager is reflective of the provision and regularly evaluates the care and teaching that staff provide. Staff benefit from regular supervisions to discuss key issues, including their well-being and professional development. Regular training opportunities enable staff to continually build on their already good teaching skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. Staff know what procedures to follow if they have a concern about the welfare of a child. They are aware of the signs that could indicate a child may be at risk of abuse. They have good knowledge of safeguarding and child protection issues, including neglect, female genital mutilation and radicalisation. Staff are familiar with the process to follow if an allegation is made against an adult. The manager follows safer recruitment and regularly checks the ongoing suitability of staff working with children. This helps to keep children safe. Thorough risk assessments ensure that the setting is a safe and secure learning environment. Staff deploy themselves well to support children throughout the day.

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should:

2 December 2022 n plan further experiences to deepen children's knowledge and understanding of the world around them, to help inspire awe and wonder of the world in which they live n further enhance the range of opportunities available to older children to practise their independence skills, to build on their personal development even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 218478 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10234340 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 80 Number of children on roll 109 Name of registered person Green, Anthony Julian

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 504877 Date of previous inspection 16 February 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Rock Cottage Day Nursery registered in 1997. The nursery employs 28 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including three at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. 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 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 and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

2 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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