Summerfields Nursery

Inspection of Summerfields Nursery Summerfield Nursery, Ashlands House, Hartshill Road, Hartshill, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7PS

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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 are warmly welcomed into the setting by staff who are extremely caring and nurturing. Children feel safe and secure. They separate from parents with ease and eagerly go towards staff, who cuddle them and ask how they are. Young babies have opportunities to try new experiences they would not necessarily do elsewhere. They enjoy exploring the texture of crunchy cereal mixed with gloopy cornflour and water in their hands. Younger children enjoy washing their toy dolls. They learn about their different body parts and use this information to find their own head, eyes and nose. Children enthusiastically brush their toy dolls' teeth using toothbrushes. Staff talk to children about the importance of brushing teeth to keep them healthy.

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The provision is good

Older children are encouraged to be independent and look after their own personal care needs. They fetch their own tissues, blow their nose and dispose of the tissue in the bin. Staff then remind them to wash their hands or use hand gel to get rid of germs. Pouring their own drinks and self-serving their lunch helps children practise new skills. Children sustain high levels of engagement at their chosen activities. They enjoy looking for dinosaurs and stomp them through shredded paper. Pre- school children particularly like wrapping presents to put under the tree in the elves workshop. Activities are provided to enhance children's fine motors skills, such as threading beads and cutting using scissors. These skills help prepare children for pencil control and early writing ready for their next stage of learning and eventual move to school.

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need to do better?

n The provider's curriculum is sequenced to build on the knowledge that children already have. There is a strong emphasis on communication and language. Staff receive training to promote early language skills and to complete assessments of children's abilities using a local authority initiative. This helps to swiftly identify any gaps in communication skills and a plan of support to be put in place. Staff ensure that children hear a rich range of vocabulary. For example, when helping children to serve their pudding of apple crumble, staff say it has 'caramelised' and talk about this process. n Good support is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use effective assessment to plan activities to promote skills in the prime areas of learning. For example, children who could not previously sit unaided have now mastered this skill. The provider and staff have

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need to do better?

the same ambitions for all children. They support children with SEND to participate in the activities on offer by talking to them and introducing different textures and sensory experiences. n Staff know their children very well and plan precisely for their next steps in

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need to do better?

5 December 2022 learning. They use children's interests to provide activities that capture and ignite their thirst for learning. However, on occasion, less-confident members of staff do not always support younger children to join in. n Effective systems implemented by the manager ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good. Staff access regular training to improve professional development. This helps strengthen practice within the rooms, which children benefit from. Recently, training has been undertaken in behaviour management. A new reward system of 'rainbow' and 'cloud' has been introduced. This supports children to self-regulate and recognise unwanted behaviour. Children behave well. They are kind and share with their friends. n Children enjoy learning about numbers and use mathematical language, such as big and little. They enjoy trying to write numbers and thread beads onto pipe cleaners to represent the number they are working on. However, on occasion,

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need to do better?

staff do not always adapt their teaching to differentiate between the most able children. n Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents speak very highly of the nursery, especially the staff, who they say are amazing. They enjoy regular updates on their children's progress and know what area of learning staff are working on. Staff support and encourage parents to read books with their children at home. There is a lending library, and homework is sent home for parents to do with their children, to enhance their learning even further. n Children enjoy lots of fresh air outdoors. They run, climb and ride on wheeled toys. Staff play football or catch with children, which helps to promote their physical skills. Children benefit from freshly prepared hot cooked meals and healthy snacks. n During the COVID pandemic, the provider purchased the adjoining building. This means the before- and after-school children now have their own space to enjoy

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need to do better?

activities with their friends. Independence is promoted well. For example, children have their own kitchen area and can prepare their own healthy snacks after school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a robust knowledge and understanding of how to keep children safe. Regular training ensures that staff's knowledge is kept up to date. All staff know the procedure to follow if they have concerns about children in their care. They also know the appropriate reporting procedures to follow if they have concerns about a colleague. Meticulous recruitment checks are completed by the provider and manager to ensure the suitability of staff before they are appointed. Secure premises and appropriate risk assessments ensure that children can play safely while at the nursery. The majority of staff hold an appropriate first-aid qualification. This means that, should an accident occur, staff can act swiftly.

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should:

n strengthen the already good quality of teaching to help staff further adapt their teaching practice, to differentiate between the most able children n support less-confident staff to help and encourage the younger children to access the activities on offer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY347790 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10235078 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 56 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person Summerfields Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 740 235 Date of previous inspection 30 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Summerfields Nursery registered in 2007. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 7.30am until 6pm, closing for one week at Christmas and bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two-, three- and four-years old. The nursery also offers a before- and after-school club, collecting children from local schools.

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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 provider, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The provider and manager supplied the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

5 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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