Sunflower Day Nursery Courtenay Park

Inspection of Sunflower Day Nursery Courtenay Park Sunflower Day Nursery, 1a Courtenay Park, NEWTON ABBOT, Devon TQ12 2HD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive happy, settle well and are keen to explore the range of interesting activities. For example, babies investigate sensory materials and learn new words with play food. Older children use their imaginations creating in the play kitchens and with different craft materials. They also write and enjoy reading books. Babies form trusting bonds with staff, who they cuddle affectionately. Key persons support children in their transition through the age-related playrooms to help them feel secure.

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The provision requires improvement

Some staff explore the nursery's 'golden rules' with the children to help them learn good social skills and kind play. However, due to weaknesses in some staff's practice, not all children learn how to manage their behaviour consistently. At such times, this impacts on the play and well-being of others.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff plan and provide a curriculum of activities to support children's personal interests and development. Older children learn skills to support their move to school, such as developing their independence and literacy. However, not all staff have high expectations of what children can achieve in their learning, and provide less challenge to help children learn more.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching is not consistently good. Staff assess and plan children's learning and know what they intend children to learn next. This includes a focus story each week to support children's literacy and language skills. However, some staff do not interact to encourage children to think, talk or solve any problem in their play. This does not help children to build on what they already know and can do, in order to make better progress. n The more skilled staff join in children's play to motivate them to learn more. For example, they create practical activities in which children learn how to weight objects, to count and identify shapes to support their mathematical skills further. n Children benefit from regular activities to encourage their physical development. For example, babies use walkers to practise their balance and mobility. All children play outside throughout the day, where they ride wheeled toys, run,

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need to do better?

and use tools to dig. They join in yoga sessions to wind down at the end of the session. n Some staff help children to learn how to manage their behaviour and feelings. For example, they use 'Sunny the sunflower' as a prop to help older children learn the impact of any unacceptable behaviour. They also provide a 'regulation station' for children to use sensory resources to help them calm down. However, not all staff help younger children to learn what is expected of them when they throw toys or push others.

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need to do better?

25 January 2023 n The nursery special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents to meet children's additional needs effectively. This includes funding to support specific aspects of their learning and to include them well in activities. n Good partnerships are established with parents. Staff work with parents to find out about children's needs and learning from the start. Parents share positive views of the nursery provision and benefit from newsletters to keep them informed of changes and events. n Overall, staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. Children learn to identify healthy foods, wash their hands regularly and learn the importance of brushing their teeth. However, staff do not help children in the toddler and pre- school rooms to learn how to manage their personal hygiene consistently well when they cough and sneeze around others. n The management team and staff evaluate the quality of the provision to identify

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need to do better?

and make some improvements. They check that the premises are safe and secure before children arrive. However, staff in the baby room do not check the room is sufficiently warm for when the babies arrive. On the day of inspection, the room was very cold when the babies were brought in, due to a heating fault. At this time, staff were not vigilant as people came in and out to ensure the door was kept secured, to prevent any accidents. n The management team provides some supervision and coaching to help staff develop their knowledge and skills. However, this is not sufficient to quickly target weaker practice and ensure consistently good quality of teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of their child protection roles and responsibilities. They understand the issues and risks to children of abuse and neglect, and the correct procedures to follow in the event of a concern about a child's welfare. Staff benefit from training and guidance to keep their knowledge up to date. This includes understanding the whistle-blowing policy and procedures. The manager follows robust vetting procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

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Due date

ensure staff monitor and maintain a suitably warm and safe environment for babies from the beginning of the day 26/01/2023

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Due date

25 January 2023 improve the arrangements for staff supervision and coaching, to improve weaker practice swiftly and to ensure consistently good standards of teaching. 23/02/2023

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should:

n develop staff practice further to help children learn how to manage all aspects of their personal hygiene consistently well n ensure staff manage all children's behaviour consistently to help them understand what is expected of them.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY432688 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10275049 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 45 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Sunflowers Day Nursery LLP

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reference number

Telephone number 01626333323 Date of previous inspection 22 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Sunflower Day Nursery Courtenay Park registered in 2011 and is situated in Newton Abbot, Devon. The nursery is part of the Sunflowers chain of nurseries. It opens each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 50 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The group employs nine staff to work with children, seven of whom hold appropriate qualifications from level 2 to level 6.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager completed a learning walk around the nursery and explained how this is used this to meet children's needs and deliver the curriculum. n The inspector observed activities and the quality of the staff's interactions with the children. She discussed the effectiveness of an activity with the manager. n The inspector sampled the documentation and discussed the manager's knowledge of the requirements of the early years foundation stage. n The inspector took account of parents' 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

25 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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