Little Willows Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Willows Day Nursery Little Willows Day Nursery, Powlett Road, BATH BA2 6QH

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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 enter the nursery happily and settle quickly on arrival. They have strong emotional attachments with the caring staff, who cuddle and comfort them when needed. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Children show a positive attitude to their learning. They actively engage in a wide range of learning opportunities. Children show high levels of concentration as they engage in the activities. For example, during singing time, babies and toddlers participate using actions, joining in or choosing the next song. This supports children's language development and listening skills.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and are supported effectively to begin to understand expectations and boundaries. Staff support children well to identify how they feel and what could help them to feel better. They constantly praise children for showing respect. For example, older children will stop and check younger children if they have fallen in the garden.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan a wide range of activities in each room to cover all seven areas of learning. For example, during a creative activity of making 'rockets', older children have opportunities to develop their numeracy skills, hand-to-eye coordination while cutting, and early reading knowledge. This is further extended in their outdoor provision and revisited by children during free play as they draw rockets on the wall and talk to staff excitedly about their creations. n Children benefit from a good range of activities to support their physical development. They choose when they play outside. All ages explore the main garden together. Young children use the climbing frame, pulling themselves up and balancing across the bridge using their whole bodies. Older children will wait patiently for the younger children before having a go. Pre-school children use equipment to create games and run freely in the open areas of the garden,

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need to do better?

carefully negotiating their space with peers. n Overall, staff support children in developing healthy lifestyles. They encourage healthy eating with fresh fruits and vegetables and discuss these with the children. Staff promote all children to wash hands before snack and mealtimes. However, on occasion, staff do not help children learn how to manage their personal hygiene well, such as during nappy changing routines or when children cough and sneeze, leaving them to wipe their nose on their sleeve. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is passionate about her role. She has completed relevant training to enable her to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. The SENCo liaises very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that each child receives

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need to do better?

9 February 2023 the support they need. n The manager has a clear vision for the nursery that she shares with her team to ensure the best support, care and education are offered to children. She is a good role model and works hard to help staff to be the best they can be and to enable them to deliver the curriculum in the most effective manner. The manager is aware that currently there are low numbers of qualified staff. However, she demonstrates clear actions and support to ensure this has no impact on children's care or learning. For example, checks are made throughout the day to ensure staff deployment is effective. The qualified staff within rooms have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and demonstrate this well, along with the manager working in rooms to support if needed. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff share information with parents in a number of ways, for example through daily verbal discussions and by sharing

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need to do better?

photos and updates on an online learning app. Parents express that staff know their children well and are kind and nurturing.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure knowledge of the nursery's safeguarding procedures. They know what they must do should they have a concern about a child's welfare or regarding a member of staff. They keep their child protection knowledge up to date through various training methods. Staff complete daily risk assessments of the premises to promote a safe and secure environment for children to play. Children are closely supervised by staff, such as when babies are sleeping. Staff deploy themselves well to support the needs of the children.

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should:

n develop staff practice further to support children across the nursery in managing all aspects of their personal hygiene well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY413022 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10277587 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 66 Number of children on roll 93 Name of registered person Little Willows Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01225 332296 Date of previous inspection 27 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Willows Day Nursery registered in 2010. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 to 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. 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 nursery 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 The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager and together, they evaluated this. n The inspector observed practice in all the rooms and spoke to staff at convenient times during the day. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including the suitability checks of all staff working in the setting. n A leadership and management meeting was held with the manager and deputy manager. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their 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

9 February 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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