Dottie Tots Nursery School

Inspection of Dottie Tots Nursery School Kingsley Centre, Forge Road, Kingsley, Bordon GU35 9ND

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children eagerly enter this warm and inviting nursery. They easily separate from their parents, and friendly and enthusiastic staff welcome them. Children develop strong relationships with staff and confidently approach them. Staff know all children well and an effective key-person system is in place. Children are happy and safe inside the nursery and while in the outside area. They behave very well and are kind to their peers and staff alike. Children make friends easily and form secure bonds with each other. This helps to support children's personal, social and emotional development.

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The provision is good

Staff have a clear curriculum focus for children, which they combine with children's interests. They provide opportunities for children to become inquisitive learners, using resources that engage them. For example, to extend children's interest in cars and car parks, staff provide ramps and blocks so that children can use their imagination and build their own. Children attend weekly outside activities that are planned by children from the local secondary school. This enables children of different ages to interact with each other. For example, they work as a team to identify colours and shapes in the outside environment. All children in the nursery make good progress, particularly children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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need to do better?

n Staff identify areas for development and take steps to improve the provision. For example, they have focused on improving communication and language opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language. Staff have introduced strategies to help with this, such as a picture and sound board with the word for each item spoken in their native language. This helps children communicate with staff more effectively to ensure that they are included. n Staff aim to encourage children's independence in preparation for starting school. They provide daily opportunities for children to take care of some of their own personal needs, such as taking themselves to the toilet. However, staff have not fully extended strategies to support children in this area. For example, they do not consistently encourage children to carry out a wide range of simple tasks for themselves, such as putting their coats on and blowing their own

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need to do better?

noses. n Staff focus on social skills as an area for development, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide some good opportunities for children to socialise with the wider community. However, there are some occasions during routine times of the day where staff's interactions are not fully successful. For instance, during lunchtime, staff are not deployed effectively to fully support children to successfully interact with each other and staff, to help build their

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need to do better?

7 March 2023 social skills. n Staff have high expectations for children. They consistently remind them of the nursery rules, such as tidying up before lunchtime. Staff celebrate children's good behaviour by using positive reinforcement. For example, they put names on a 'proud cloud'. They share examples of this behaviour with children and staff. Staff offer praise to children and reward them with a sticker. This encourages children to behave well and feel proud of themselves. n Staff are a close-knit team who support each other's well-being. The management team celebrates staff's achievements, for example by using a 'well- being board' to highlight this. Staff have access to training opportunities, such as online and face-to-face courses. They have completed a course on staff well- being to help identify when someone needs support. Staff attend regular meetings to discuss issues and how to deal with them, such as children's

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need to do better?

behaviour. This contributes to staff's overall well-being and creates a happy environment for staff and children alike. n Parents are full of praise for staff. They say that staff are very supportive when settling children into the nursery. Parents state that they receive regular feedback on their children's progress via an online assessment tool and at drop- off and pick-up times. They are happy with the progress children are making. Parents say that their children are always excited to attend the nursery.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of their role in safeguarding children. They can identify signs of abuse and neglect. Staff know how to report concerns about children and adults. They are aware of where to access further information on a noticeboard in the main room. The management team provides staff with lanyards containing contact details to escalate any concerns. Staff extend this knowledge by attending training courses and discussing safeguarding at meetings. Robust recruitment procedures are in place for all staff. Staff strive to ensure that children are in a safe and secure environment.

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should:

n provide more opportunities for children to carry out the more simple tasks for themselves, to extend their independence skills even further n improve staff deployment during routine times of the day, to provide children with consistently high-quality interactions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2637198 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10281432 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Burrows, Karen

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reference number

Telephone number 02382 513285 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dottie Tots Nursery School registered in 2021 and is located in Bordon, Hampshire. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery employs eight members of staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications up to level 6. 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 nursery. n The management team and the inspector had a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The deputy manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during an activity. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The management team showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

7 March 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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