Little Rascals Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Rascals Day Nursery Print House, Northgate, Aldridge, WALSALL WS9 8TH

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

The opportunities children receive at the setting and within the local community are worthy of sharing. For example, children partake in national appreciation days and awareness weeks to learn about important health, cultural and social issues. They paint rocks and bake cakes to give to people in the community. This promotes a culture of thoughtfulness.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy and secure, and they form strong attachments to their key persons through meaningful interactions. This is essential to children's emotional and social growth. Staff are extremely responsive to all children's needs. For example, when toddlers hesitate to explore the paint with their hands, staff quickly provide alternative choices, such as a paint brush, to develop both physical and social skills. This gives toddlers the confidence they need to develop their sensory skills, and over time they feel safe to paint with their hands.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are highly inquisitive. For example, what starts off as 'one-to-one time' with key persons, quickly turns into a large group activity. This demonstrates that children have an active desire to learn. For example, when babies observe their peer's enjoyment in an 'instrument activity', they crawl over to participate. Additionally, when older children notice the 'Midlands Metro' while attending a trip, their interest in the tram system helps staff to plan hands-on experiences to further promote their curiosity.

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need to do better?

n Leaders excel in their performance management. Their utmost priority is given to providing staff with training opportunities to enhance their continuous professional development. Additionally, they actively encourage staff to share their ideas and knowledge with other staff to drive improvement plans. This shows that leaders value staff and nurture their skills. n Leaders visit a wealth of other establishments, complete highly comprehensive audits, and regularly liaise with other professionals to embed an enabling environment. This means all children thrive, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Furthermore, they plan for an ambitious future to ensure that they continue to build on children's outcomes. For instance, the manager aims to create a 'SEND hub' to enhance the support families receive. n Partnership with parents is superb. Parents are exceptionally pleased with the

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need to do better?

progress their children make. They show delight when discussing the support they receive. The special educational needs coordinator works remarkably well with key persons and parents to help children settle. This means that any developmental concerns are identified early and appropriate support is swiftly

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need to do better?

9 February 2023 implemented. n Staff tailor the curriculum around children's individual needs. For example, they use an early talk programme and British Sign Language to develop children's speaking and listening skills. Additionally, leaders and staff place strong emphasis on promoting children's emotional well-being. This means children have the secure foundations to successfully build on what they know and can do. n Children receive the highest levels of care from extremely skilled staff who are truly present with children throughout the whole day. For example, staff show genuine respect and interest when engaging in conversations with children. They prioritise time for children to engage in 'mindfulness yoga' to practise their breathing techniques. This helps children to feel calm and ready to learn. These positive behaviours are reflected in the way children socially interact with one another. n All children greatly benefit from learning in small groups. For example, children

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need to do better?

of all ages and abilities have the freedom to manipulate different materials through exploration and experimentation in the purposely built art studio. Additionally, older children greatly benefit from learning in the 'foundation room', where they receive focused support to further challenge their learning. This means children are prepared for school, cognitively, socially, and emotionally. n Staff skilfully weave mathematics into routine play. This helps children to develop a strong understanding of numbers, counting and problem-solving. For instance, children independently count as they find hidden treasure in the sand tray and practise simple subtraction as they count the total number of children when one child goes home. n Children learn from an early age to be independent. Staff strongly encourage them to make their own choices and they have plenty of time to practise key skills. For example, when children use a flannel to clean their mouth, staff

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need to do better?

support them to remember how to clean around their face and neck. As a result, children manage their own self-help skills extremely well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are extremely confident with discussing their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding children. They have an excellent awareness of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. Staff are very confident in how to report their concerns. Leaders constantly review safeguarding scenarios with staff to ensure that their knowledge is up to date. Additionally, they provide staff with prompts around the room, such as visual indicators of food size that may cause a child to choke. Staff conduct vigorous checks on children while they sleep. They support parents to understand the dangers of co-sleeping.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY290553 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 10264329 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 80 Number of children on roll 105 Name of registered person Little Rascals Childcare (West Midlands) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01922 455060 Date of previous inspection 12 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Rascals Day Nursery registered in 2004 and is in Walsall. The nursery employs 27 members of childcare staff. Of these, 20 hold an appropriate early years qualification, including 15 at level 3, one at level 4, two at level 5 and two at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for Christmas and bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am 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 setting 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. n The manager, provider and the inspector completed a learning walk. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. The views of parents were considered by the inspector, through verbal discussions. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including evidence of the suitability of those working with children and complaint logs.

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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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