Levendale Under Fives Group

Inspection of Levendale Under Fives Group Levendale Primary School, Mount Leven Road, YARM, Cleveland TS15 9RJ

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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 happy and emotionally secure in this nurturing and very inclusive setting. They settle quickly and show how happy and safe they feel. Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff, who are kind and caring. They build strong bonds with the staff who care for them. The curriculum builds on what children know and can do. Staff create a sequenced curriculum that incorporates children's evolving interests. They know the children they care for well.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They follow daily routines and happily help to tidy away their toys. Children learn to share resources with their friends. They are highly motivated to learn and staff are good role models to children. They join in with their play. For example, children pretend to be the three bears from a well-known story. They delightedly exclaim that their porridge is 'too cold'. Staff use this to help them recall the story. Children become engrossed in their play.

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The provision is good

Managers and staff have high expectations for children. They swiftly identify children who need additional support and those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through their regular assessments. Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure that a suitable curriculum is put in place. All children make progress.

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need to do better?

n Staff promote children's love of books. They enthusiastically respond to children's requests to share and read stories. Staff use good intonation, and children are very motivated and engaged as they become engrossed in the story. For example, they excitedly exclaim that they are on a broom as they clamber onto a 'log' cushion in readiness to read the story 'Room on the Broom'. n Staff arrange inviting activities, and children stay engaged in their play for long periods. Toddlers enjoy the sensory feel of shaving foam in messy play. They make marks in the foam. Older children are starting to form some recognisable letters and numbers while also playing in the foam. These opportunities to explore literacy help children to be ready for school. n Staff use children's interests to teach them about mathematical concepts. For example, children have recently shown a keen interest in the life cycle of a frog.

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need to do better?

Children learn about size and positional language as staff ask children to place the 'big' frog on the 'big' log. n Staff have strong partnerships with parents. Although parents no longer enter the premises as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic, they confirm that staff share good information. Staff and parents work together successfully, supporting children's care and development. Parents explain that they are very pleased with the progress that their children make. They describe how 'staff go above and

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need to do better?

19 January 2023 beyond to support their children's learning.' n The indoor learning environment is a welcoming space to learn in. Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their muscles. Children jump and run, following staff's instructions during a game. However, despite accessing this good indoor environment, staff do not provide children who prefer to learn outdoors with access to a quality outdoor provision all year round, to further support their learning. n Staff encourage children to brush their teeth after snack time. They talk to children about making sure that their teeth are clean and the importance of brushing then. This introduces good habits for oral hygiene. Staff use this opportunity to demonstrate how long two minutes is and add a sand timer. This furthers children's understanding of time and measure. n Staff comment that they feel well supported by the management team. They

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need to do better?

keep all mandatory training up to date, such as child protection. However, managers do not sharply focus professional development to help staff to raise their practice to the highest possible level. n Managers lead a strong team, who share their ambition to provide a high-quality provision. They work together to meet children's individual care and learning needs. For example, staff enable children to manage their feelings and consider others, such as by using a 'Happy Flower'. This encourages children to reflect on their emotions, meaning that they can identify how they are feeling.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have a thorough understanding of the signs and symptoms that might suggest a child is at risk of harm. They know the procedures to follow, and the people to inform, if they have concerns about a child's safety or welfare. All staff have completed appropriate training. Staff carry out daily risk assessments and take effective action to keep children safe. The deployment of staff is well organised to ensure that children remain safe. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about other staff's practice and how to follow the setting's whistle- blowing policy.

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should:

n enhance the outdoor learning environment so that children who prefer to learn outside can make the most of the learning opportunities on offer all year round n build on the programme of professional development for staff in order to enhance their practice to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 305960 Local authority Stockton-on-Tees Inspection number 10264613 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 26 Number of children on roll 15 Name of registered person Levendale Under Fives Group Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01642 784968 Date of previous inspection 21 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Levendale Under Fives Group registered in 1976 and is located in Yarm, Cleveland. The setting employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 or above. The setting opens during term time, from 8.45am to 12.30pm, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with extended sessions until 3pm on Tuesday and Thursday. The setting is in receipt of funding for 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 Managers and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the setting. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with managers about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activities with one of the managers. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

19 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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