Little Oaks Children's Nursery

Inspection of Little Oaks Children's Nursery Upper Fairfield Road, LEATHERHEAD, Surrey KT22 7HH

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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 are confident, happy, emotionally secure and enjoying their learning. They are developing good skills for their future. Children behave extremely well and are highly motivated, excitedly joining in with whole-group activities. For example, when asked, children immediately go to the carpet for circle time and eagerly participate in a range of puppet-based songs and action rhymes. Children develop a love of books and stories. They excitedly share their own books, such as 'Postman Bear', talking about his birthday pie and comparing the story to their own experiences.

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The provision is good

The caring, family atmosphere which staff create enables children to feel very safe and secure. Children develop extremely strong attachments with their key person. The manager and staff keep children's well-being and enjoyment at the centre of everything they do. They talk to children in a calm and respectful manner, gently reminding them about the need to share and take turns. Children are developing an awareness of their emotions and are caring towards each other.

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The provision is good

Staff support the development of children's communication and language skills well. For example, they use Makaton signing with children. Staff speak key words in both English and children's home language, which benefits children who speak English as an additional language. For example, staff learn how to say 'my pillow' in Polish when playing on the carpet with Polish children.

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need to do better?

n Children make independent choices, explore their environment and are inquisitive. Staff provide exciting experiences and activities. For example, children find out about Holi, before they explore mixing paint while decorating a huge branch they found. They manipulate dough, making marks with natural objects, such as pine cones and leaves. This helps strengthen their hands ready for writing. n Children's physical development is well supported. They run, balance, jump and climb while outside. Younger children are supported to become independent, as staff provide them with many opportunities to do things for themselves. For example, children put on their coats, scrape their plates after lunch and manage their personal hygiene. n Staff use what they know about children to plan a wide range of activities that support children to develop new skills and knowledge. However, older children are not always given opportunities to explore their ideas and experiment for

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need to do better?

themselves. For example, when children paint butterflies, staff ensure they create a butterfly shape with paint before folding the paper for them. Staff direct the children in how to add leaves and twigs. This limits children's independence

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need to do better?

14 March 2023 and their ability to make choices and be creative for themselves. n Parents are extremely happy with the care and education their children receive. They are kept informed of their children's progress through daily conversations and discussions. Staff share planning with parents and give them activity ideas they can do with their children at home. For example, parents are informed about upcoming themes, such as 'daffodils' or 'beaches', and encouraged to send in pictures of their child exploring these at home. n The manager is dedicated, ambitious and passionate. She maintain a keen oversight of the setting, staff, children and families. Staff turnover is very low due to an emphasis on supporting development and well-being. Staff feel extremely supported and encouraged to evolve and progress in their careers. The manager completes supervisions with all staff. However, systems are yet to be fully embedded to observe and review staff's teaching practice to help them

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need to do better?

develop further. As a result, there are some inconsistencies in teaching. n Staff encourage children to celebrate differences and varying ways of life. All children learn about key festivals and the various cultures of the staff and children who attend the nursery. They consider foods, similarities and differences, music and other exciting aspects. This helps to encourage children to respect others and to embrace the diverse world they live in, which in turn prepares children for life in modern Britain. n The manager strives for the best possible outcomes for children. She introduces new opportunities to enhance the curriculum, widening children's knowledge of the world around them. For example, children experience theatre trips, hatching eggs, visiting animals and trips to the construction site and dentist.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure knowledge of the nursery's safeguarding procedures. They know what they must do should they have a concern about a child's welfare or regarding a member of staff. They keep their child protection knowledge up to date through various training methods. Staff complete daily risk assessments of the premises to promote a safe and secure environment for children to play. Children are closely supervised by staff, such as when babies are sleeping and during mealtimes. Staff deploy themselves well to support the needs of the children.

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should:

n support staff to help them understand when to give older children freedom to make choices and decisions for themselves in their learning n enhance current monitoring and staff observations so that these focus more specifically on raising the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY483942 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10264914 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 83 Number of children on roll 81 Name of registered person A Horn Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01372 877060 Date of previous inspection 29 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Oaks Children's Nursery registered in 2015. The nursery is situated in Leatherhead, Surrey. It is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, 51 weeks of the year, except for bank holidays. The nursery employs 31 members of staff. Of these, the manager holds a qualification at level 6, one member of staff has early years teacher status, and 22 members of staff hold qualifications at levels 2, 3, 4 and 6. There are 7 unqualified staff. The nursery provides funded early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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 setting. n The manager, deputy and owner led the inspector on a learning walk to discuss the curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff, parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation on a whole-group activity and discussed the quality of teaching and learning. n The inspector observed the quality of education indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The manager, deputy, owners and inspector held a leadership and management meeting. The inspector checked relevant 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

14 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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