Clever Clogs Day Nursery Durham

Inspection of Clever Clogs Day Nursery Durham Clever Clogs Nursery, Durham Road, Bowburn, Durham DH6 5AT

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children learn important skills for life through a wide range of exciting and challenging activities at this very inclusive and welcoming nursery. They learn how to use scissors, cutlery and a large variety of tools safely and skilfully. For example, small groups of children learn how to saw with real woodworking tools. They make resources, such as wooden toys and bird houses, under the close supervision of staff. Older children focus intently as they cut carefully with scissors. Younger children grip different tools and explore with their fingers as they make marks in trays of flour and oats. Children learn how to pour their own drinks through activities, which staff plan for them to practise filling and tipping. This helps to support children's physical skills and rapidly growing independence.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are excellent role models and provide sensitive and skilful support to children to be helpful, caring and kind to others. For example, they encourage children to act fairly as they take turns to ride tandem bikes together in the enclosed garden. Staff involve children in everyday tasks that help them develop a sense of ownership and belonging. For example, staff encourage children to help them fill the water tray using jugs and buckets. Staff clearly praise children's efforts and encourage their achievements. This helps to raise children's confidence and self- esteem.

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need to do better?

n Relationships between children and staff are superb. Children quickly form close bonds with staff, who are respectful, caring and kind. Staff plan excellent support for children's developing communication and language skills. They introduce new words through stories and songs to help children to expand their vocabularies. n Staff plan a very enabling environment for children's learning. Children use all their senses as they explore with highly stimulating and tactile resources. For example, children play imaginatively with real fruit and vegetables in the pretend kitchen. They count with pebbles and explore textures and smells using pine cones, lentils and herbs. n Parents praise the outstanding support their children receive as they move through different stages of learning at the nursery. Staff share detailed information with each child's next key person to help ensure continuity of care. They plan carefully for changes for children and take time to help them become

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need to do better?

familiar with new rooms and staff. n The nursery has built strong links with local schools children go on to attend. They meet with teachers and invite them into the setting to observe children at play. Staff contact schools after children have left nursery to check how they have settled. They are very reflective and ask for feedback to see if they can

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need to do better?

15 March 2023 learn any lessons to help improve the process still further. n Staff plan a very comprehensive and progressive curriculum that clearly reflects different stages of children's development. For example, staff in the baby room plan sensory activities for children to explore with body paint and foam. Meanwhile, staff in the pre-school room plan activities to help children explore the qualities of magnets as part of 'Science Week'. n The nursery provides outstanding support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parents say staff go 'above and beyond' to help source resources and equipment to help include all children. Staff work very closely with health professionals to help provide an extremely consistent approach to support for children's development. n Children learn about life outside the setting, such as they go on woodland walks and trips to the local shops and library. Children learn about the natural world.

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need to do better?

For example, they examine frogspawn with magnifying glasses as part of an activity about life cycles. n The nursery has a very good relationship with a neighbouring care home. Children visit residents and learn about different lives and communities. They take part in singing sessions and craft activities. n Parents have very high praise for the nursery, the manager and staff. They say the nursery's environment is very caring and nurturing. Parents describe how staff 'take real care in planning engaging sessions for children'. They praise the excellent systems for communication and the rapid progress their children make. n Leadership and management of the nursery are outstanding. Support for staff's continuous professional development is excellent. The manager has great confidence in her staff team, who she supports extremely well. The manager and staff are dedicated to their work and the children and families in their care.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has an excellent understanding of her role and responsibilities in relation to keeping children safe. All staff complete safeguarding training. This includes a range of aspects of safeguarding. The manager and staff know what might concern them about a child. They know who to contact and the processes to take to help keep children safe. There are thorough systems in place to help ensure children's safety. For example, the nursery cook carefully records all ingredients to check food for children with allergies is safe to eat. This information is checked again by the manager and staff serving food, to help ensure that children remain healthy and safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY425224 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10280820 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 108 Number of children on roll 188 Name of registered person Clever Clogs Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0191 377 9192 Date of previous inspection 22 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Clever Clogs Day Nursery Durham registered in 2011 and is located in Bowburn, Durham. The nursery employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold appropriate childcare qualification at level 3. One member of staff holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 6, and four hold qualifications at level 5. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. 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 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 manager discussed with the inspector how staff organise and plan the curriculum and experiences for children. The inspector viewed the inside and outside space used by the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. The manager and the inspector evaluated an activity together. n The inspector looked at a sample of the nursery's documents. This included evidence of training and suitability of staff. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff. She took into account the views of parents.

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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

15 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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