Little Explorers Nursery, Stoke Golding

Inspection of Little Explorers Nursery, Stoke Golding The Baxter Hall, Lower Floor, High Street, Stoke Golding, Nuneaton CV13 6HE

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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 settle quickly and feel secure in this warm, friendly and caring environment. Staff form positive bonds with children. They provide younger children with plenty of cuddles and a knee to sit on when they seek reassurance. Children concentrate well in group activities. Two-year-old children thoroughly enjoy making play dough, exploring the ingredients and mixing everything together. Staff support them extremely well as children learn to use small tools with increasing skill. There is lots of fun and giggles as the children and staff get 'sticky' and 'messy' together. Staff extend the sensory experience by adding herbs and encouraging the children to smell them.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's learning. Children are encouraged to be independent. They pour their own drinks and use a knife safely to butter their toast. Children learn to explore numbers as staff introduce them to the activities linked to their interests. Children are helped to use a tape measure to see how tall they are. Staff write the number down and tell them what it is. Outdoors, children show curiosity at the patterns left behind in the sand by large, toy building vehicles, correctly counting each line. As a result, children learn new mathematical skills and gain confidence.

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need to do better?

n Managers are knowledgeable and experienced in childcare. They are extremely passionate about early years and the children in their care. Managers have a clear vision for the future of the nursery and identify areas for further development, as well as from feedback from parents, children and staff. They recently introduced stay-and-play sessions for parents to help them to see how children spend their day. n Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, managers identified that children's communication development is a key area of focus. Staff take every opportunity to introduce new and challenging vocabulary. For example, at lunchtime, younger children are introduced to words such as 'delicious', using this when they taste their food. Toddlers excitedly join in with action songs. They stand up and hop like little bunnies. Children sit in cosy areas looking at books independently. Staff read stories to children enthusiastically and with

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need to do better?

plenty of expression, helping children to develop a love of books. n Children's development is assessed by staff when they begin at the nursery. Staff collect detailed information from parents, which helps to plan for children's learning. They use observations of children's play to help identify any gaps in children's development. This is followed by a targeted programme of early intervention work. As a result, children make good progress. n Parents say they are 'delighted' with the care their children receive. They are

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need to do better?

2 March 2023 particularly happy with the support from staff and the regular feedback provided about their child's day and the progress they are making. Parents like the electronic communication that is used to record their children's learning. They comment that this enables them to view what their child has been doing at their leisure. Parents talk about the delight they feel when they receive a 'wow' moment photo of their child. n Children are well behaved and have a positive attitude towards their learning. They enjoy a broad range of activities and experiences in an environment that focuses on child-initiated play. Children are confident to join in with activities. n Children enjoy their time playing outside. However, managers have not developed their curriculum fully to support children to challenge their physical skills and learn how to manage risks in their play. n Staff say they feel supported, valued and respected by managers. Effective

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need to do better?

strategies, such as individual meetings, are used to evaluate their workloads and promote well-being. Staff are offered some training opportunities to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. However, managers do not target training for staff to help raise the quality of teaching to the highest level. n Staff plan appropriate activities for children to help them to learn about a range of festivals. However, children have less opportunities to learn about the similarities and differences that make them, and others from a variety of backgrounds, unique.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and know how to ensure the safety and welfare of children. They regularly attend training to keep their knowledge up to date. Managers know how to make referrals to relevant agencies. They clearly display safeguarding information across the nursery for both staff and parents to view. There are clear recruitment processes in place to check that those who work with children are safe to do so. The deployment of staff around the nursery supports staff to be able to supervise children at all times and keep them safe.

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should:

n review the curriculum for outdoor learning to help children to be challenged in their physical skills and take risks in their play n support staff to develop their practice further to ensure that teaching is of the highest level n provide more opportunities for children to learn about equality and diversity to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2625012 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10276023 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 31 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Bates, Alison

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reference number

Telephone number 07908325380 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers, Stoke Golding registered in 2020. It is based in Stoke Golding, Leicestershire. The setting employs eight members of childcare staff. Six members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with a Masters degree and one with qualified teacher status. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm, for 38 weeks of the year. The setting 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 management team and inspector completed a learning walk around the setting to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with a member of the management team. n The inspector held a number of discussions with staff and the management and looked at relevant documentation. n Parents shared their views of the playgroup with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to children at appropriate times throughout 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

2 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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