Spinning Tops Day Nursery

Inspection of Spinning Tops Day Nursery 12, Algitha Road, Skegness PE25 2AG

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children are cared for by some staff and student volunteers whose suitability has not been fully confirmed. Additionally, some staff and students are not confident about the procedure they would follow to escalate child protection concerns. This potentially puts the welfare of children at risk. That said, children are happy and engaged learners. They play and explore through the activities that staff provide to promote their learning and development. Babies move their bodies to music and express themselves through dance. Toddlers develop their creative flair by mixing paint and glitter with their hands to make marks on paper.

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The provision is inadequate

Children receive support from staff to solve problems and persevere to complete a task. For example, when trying to operate a magnetic number puzzle, pre-school children receive the encouragement that they need to keep trying and succeed. This helps to maintain children's positive behaviour, as their frustration is alleviated through reassurance from attentive staff. Pre-school children continue their mathematical learning outside. They play active counting games and use number names in their play. Children use the terminology for telling the time as they exclaim, 'One o'clock, four o'clock, eight o'clock… dinner time'.

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need to do better?

n The management team does not fully ensure the suitability of staff and students before they work directly with children. Some staff work without all vetting procedures being carried out, such as references. Although all staff have Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) checks in place, some students begin their work experience placements before the management team confirm these checks have been obtained. n The manager does not ensure that safeguarding procedures are consistently known and understood by all staff and students. Some staff and students do not know where to escalate child protection concerns to outside the nursery. This includes if they were to have a concern about the conduct of a colleague or member of the management team. n Through accurate assessment, the manager and staff recognise the long-lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning and development. They plan a curriculum which focuses on children's communication and language

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need to do better?

development and personal, social, and emotional development. Through this, children receive the support they need to progress on to their next stages of education. n Staff understand that learning opportunities should be planned to build on children's previous development. For example, to help develop children's social skills, staff play turn-taking games with babies. As children progress through the nursery, they engage in small-group activities alongside their peers. The results

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need to do better?

5 January 2023 are apparent in the pre-school room, where children show kindness to their friends as they share the glitter and politely pass it around the table. n Through sharing books and reading stories, staff support children's learning and development in many ways. Babies practise using their small finger muscles by lifting the flaps in books. Children's emotional development is promoted through the close contact they have with staff as they look at books together. Older children build on their literacy development by learning that words hold meaning as they listen intently to the books that staff read. n Staff support children to be physically active. They initiate games outside, where pre-school children are encouraged to run. Toddlers jump to pop bubbles. Babies practise their coordinated movements and balance while negotiating soft- play equipment. These types of activity promote children's healthy lifestyles.

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need to do better?

n Staff help children to develop positive behaviour. They encourage children to tidy away toys before finding something new to play with. Children behave well at mealtimes and show manners by saying 'thank you' when staff serve their meals. This support helps to create a happy and organised place for children to be. n Parents say that their children are progressing well in their learning and development. They say their children are getting ready for school and learning the knowledge and skills that they need for this. Parents describe the nursery as inclusive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team does not follow the nursery's policies and procedures around safe recruitment. New staff are employed without references being obtained, and managers are not always clear if DBS checks have been carried out for students. Not all staff and students know what to do if they have a concern about a child or the conduct of a staff member. Nevertheless, staff hold paediatric first-aid qualifications, so that they can respond correctly if a child has an accident or minor injury. The staff risk assess the environment to ensure it is a safe place for children to play.

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Due date

ensure effective systems are in place to confirm that staff working with children are suitable to do so, with particular regard to vetting procedures 02/02/2023

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Due date

5 January 2023 ensure all staff and students are adequately trained, so that they understand the safeguarding procedure, specifically who to escalate concerns to. 02/02/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2654971 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10267198 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 57 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person O'Connor, Lucy Ann

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reference number

Telephone number 01754899433 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Spinning Tops Day Nursery registered in 2021 and is situated in Skegness, Lincolnshire. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am 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 Children happily communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a creative activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on

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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 January 2023 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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