Village Bears Kindergarten

Inspection of Village Bears Kindergarten Madeley Road, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 8PF

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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 who attend this setting are happy and develop well. They benefit from kind and caring staff, who treat them with respect and consideration. This helps children to develop their confidence and independence. Children learn in a safe and stimulating environment. Children's emotional well-being, and their speech, language, and communication is a priority. They engage in meaningful interactions and build strong relationships with staff. Every child has a key person, who is knowledgeable about them and their families. Children have their needs met and receive the attention they need.

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The provision is good

Children access a broad curriculum and demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning. They are curious to take part in activities and show their enjoyment. Children can make choices within their play and learning. For example, their excitement is delightful as they talk about books they are going to share. When they cannot decide which book to read, they suggest to staff that they can listen to the two stories, one after the other. Children are learning to take turns, share and resolve conflicts. They are beginning to form friendships with other children and are polite and friendly. Children show care and consideration to other children if they see them upset or hurt.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan their curriculum around broad themes and children's interests. For example, when children find a worm while playing and exploring the mud, staff decide to use this discovery to plan an activity to create a wormery. Staff recognise the benefits of these types of activities for children's overall development. However, during some of these activities, staff are not always clear about what the intentions for learning are and how they match to children's learning needs. n Staff recognise the importance of tracking children's progress. They work closely with parents, and other settings children also attend, to gather information to inform their baseline assessments. Staff use an online learning journal to record and monitor children's assessments. Staff regularly share children's progress with parents and highlight their next steps in learning. n Overall, children's behaviour is good, and children show they have some

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need to do better?

understanding of how to behave. However, staff do not always explain their expectations for behaviour, such as why it is important to walk inside, clearly to children. As a result, during periods of transition, such as coming in from outside, children do run across the room, which is a potential hazard. n Staff promote outdoor learning and healthy lifestyles. Children access the outdoor area to ensure they are physically active every day and they enjoy the benefits of being outdoors and exploring mud on 'muddy days'. Staff use

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need to do better?

27 January 2023 outdoors to extend children's learning. For example, they encourage children to explore the wind with scarves. Staff provide children with healthy food and fresh water, which they can access with some support. n Partnerships with parents are strong. This contributes to effective information sharing. Parents access their children's online learning journals. They enjoy looking at photos of their children learning. Staff provide parents with home learning activities and share advice to support them at home. Parents express their positive views about the staff. They say staff are professional, caring, friendly and approachable. n Staff make good links with local schools. Staff work closely with teachers to support transition into Reception. Reception teachers visit the setting to see the children in a familiar environment. They also talk to the child's key person. This supports children when they move on to school and ensures consistency in their

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need to do better?

care and learning. The special educational needs coordinator works with other agencies to get the right support and funding for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Leadership is strong and self-evaluation is effective. Arrangements for staff recruitment, induction and supervision are robust. Staff access relevant training through an online training provider. Staff's well-being is a priority at the setting. The manager monitors workload to ensure that it is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. They are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe. All staff have paediatric first aid. The designated safeguarding lead accesses higher level training relevant to the role. Monthly team meetings take place to share safeguarding updates and review ongoing training and development needs. All staff have a good understanding of the role of the local authority designated officer. Staff are aware of safeguarding issues and know the procedures to follow should they have any safeguarding concerns. The manager and staff undertake safeguarding training. Managers have effective systems to ensure the premises are safe and secure. Fire drills and checks to fire safety equipment take place regularly.

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should:

n support staff to identify clear intentions for the learning activities and experiences they provide n provide children with clear explanations about behaviour to help them understand why some safety rules are in place.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY458034 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 10263152 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 28 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Village Bears Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01384 294470 Date of previous inspection 21 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Village Bears Kindergarten registered in 2013 and is in Kingswinford. They provide funded places for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The setting employs four members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5. The setting opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm.

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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 The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

27 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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