St Aidans Day Nursery

Inspection of St Aidans Day Nursery 10 Adlard Road, Wheatley Hills, Doncaster DN2 5NH

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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 confident, happy individuals who enjoy their time at nursery. They engage in a wide range of stimulating activities and are keen to share their experiences with staff and visitors. Children thrive in this welcoming, inviting and homely nursery. They explore and investigate the indoor and outdoor environment and show positive attitudes towards their learning. Children show good concentration and high levels of determination as they engage in play. For instance, toddlers delight in filling a bottle with porridge oats. They persist until the bottle is full to the top. Older children work together, showing a great deal of focus as they make vehicles using wooden bricks and wheels. Children are safe and have secure attachments with staff who are kind, cheerful and enthusiastic.

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The provision is good

Children are well behaved and polite. Staff consistently remind children of the nursery rules. This helps children to understand what is expected of them. Older children work alongside staff to devise the nursery rules. Children and staff discuss how to make sure the nursery is safe and talk about the importance of kindness and respect.

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need to do better?

n The nursery's curriculum is clear and concise. It is sequenced well, overall, so that children develop and build on their skills and knowledge across the setting. There is a focus on supporting children's independence and social and communication skills, so that they are prepared for future learning. n Staff know their key children well and confidently talk about their interests and what makes them unique. They describe the progress children make during their time at nursery and talk about their next steps in learning. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified quickly, and support is put in place. Staff work alongside parents and other professionals to help children to achieve. Additional funding is used successfully to support children's learning. n Children's communication and language development is supported well. Staff are good role models and interact positively with children. Babies enjoy singing

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need to do better?

familiar nursery rhymes. Older babies join in with the words and actions, as younger babies wave their arms in excitement. n Children develop a love of books and stories. Staff use books successfully to support children's learning. For example, there is a focus on traditional tales woven throughout the setting. Children recall events and phrases from these stories and use it in their play. For example, as toddlers walk on balancing beams outside, they pretend to be a troll saying, 'who's that trip-trapping over my bridge'. n Children are encouraged to be as independent as possible. Older children wash

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need to do better?

31 January 2023 their own hands after using the toilet and before they eat. They help themselves to snack and pour their own water. Babies are urged to feed themselves using cutlery. However, they are not always encouraged to wash their hands before they eat, to support their growing understanding of good hygiene routines. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are happy and praise the clean, inviting and welcoming nursery. They say the manager and staff are kind and caring and share lots of information about their children's day. Parents state that their children are making progress and staff offer them lots of advice and help, for example with toilet training. n Children learn about the world around them and nature though a range of activities. For instance, children grow their own food in the nursery garden. Children enjoyed celebrating the Queen's jubilee in the summer and have been learning about Lunar New Year recently. This helps children to understand about

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need to do better?

different people and communities. n The manager reflects on the environment and the opportunities provided for children. She works closely with staff to provide children with a homely, inviting space where they can explore and develop their imagination. n The manager provides ongoing training and supervision for staff and identifies any weaknesses in practice. Nevertheless, there is room to develop the supervision of less experienced staff, to help them to gain an even better understanding of the nursery's curriculum and how to support children's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have good safeguarding and child protection knowledge. They are aware of the signs and symptoms that might indicate a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. They understand the procedures to follow and what they should do if they have any concerns about a child's safety or welfare. Regular checks of the indoor and outdoor environment ensure that the nursery is clean and safe for children. Safer recruitment procedures are followed. The manager ensures that staff are appropriately trained and suitable to work with children.

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should:

n help very young children to begin to develop an understanding of good hygiene practices n continue to support less experienced staff to develop a better knowledge of the nursery's curriculum and how to support children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY398353 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 10265293 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 94 Number of children on roll 98 Name of registered person St Aidan's Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01302 340412 Date of previous inspection 1 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

St Aidans Day Nursery registered in 2009 and is located in Doncaster. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold early years professional status, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6 and three hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 5. There are eight members of staff who hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The nursery opens Monday to Friday ,from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The nursery provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 and the inspector completed a learning walk and discussed how the nursery deliver their curriculum. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children during activities and assessed the impact these have on children's learning. n A joint observation of an activity was conducted by the manager and the inspector. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She sampled documentation, including suitability checks of staff and paediatric first-aid certificates. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection to take account of their views. She also looked at written feedback from parents about the nursery. n Children interacted with the inspector during the inspection.

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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

31 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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