Spring Thorpe Hamlet

Inspection of Spring Thorpe Hamlet 63 Wolfe Road, Norwich NR1 4HT

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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 greeted by warm enthusiastic staff. They separate from parents with ease. Children quickly settle into learning at the exciting activities on offer. They feel safe and secure as they confidently explore the learning environment with curiosity. The nursery utilises its local community well, with visits to the woods, local bakery and shop to extend children's learning.

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The provision is good

The curriculum is ambitious and heavily focused on communication and language, as the manager and staff understand that this underpins all other areas of learning. Singing of songs and nursery rhymes can be heard throughout the nursery. Children respond with actions and recite familiar words or phrases during their play. Staff use assessment tools to identify delays in language development and provide swift interventions. They work closely with speech and language therapists and implement effective strategies to enable children to make progress. Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from hearing staff use words from their home languages to help them understand daily routines and activities.

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The provision is good

Children develop a love of books. Staff choose books that will specifically support children's language skills through new words and repetition. They share books with individual children and in groups. Children listen attentively to the 'Stickman' story and discuss what type of animals might live in a nest. Children enjoy taking part in activities at group circle time. Staff encourage children to listen and respond to others as they explore and make predictions about what a dragon fruit looks like inside. As a result, children are developing positive attitudes to learning in preparation for their next phase of education.

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need to do better?

n The enthusiastic manager and dedicated staff team have a clear vision for what they want children to achieve. They know children well and plan a wide variety of exciting activities across all areas of learning. n The manager and her staff work extremely well as a team, drawing on each other's strengths. Staff have access to a range of professional development opportunities and a management pathway. Staff report they feel extremely well supported and their workload is manageable. However, although the manager monitors staff well-being and provides coaching, the formal supervisions do not focus on setting clear targets to improve staff performance to a higher level. n Staff are effective role models. They provide children with clear expectations. As a result, children behave well. Children use sand timers to support themselves to take turns, for example when they explore the similarities and differences of toy

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need to do better?

insects. Staff support children to resolve their own conflicts. n Transitions into and through the nursery are good. Staff build strong

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need to do better?

15 March 2023 attachments with their key children. They are nurturing and attentive to children's care routines and provide comfort and reassurance. Key persons produce 'one-page profiles' that follow the children's progress through the nursery. However, there are no systems in place for staff to liaise with other settings children attend, to ensure a continuation of care and learning. n Children develop independence from a young age. For example, babies are starting to feed themselves with spoons. Young children cut up their own fruit and pour their own drinks. Older children use cutlery and serve themselves at lunch. They put on their own shoes and coats and wash their hands before mealtimes. n Staff support children to recognise and name their emotions and those of others. Children have opportunities to talk about how they are feeling at group times. Less-confident children are encouraged to give a thumbs up or thumbs down.

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need to do better?

n Children have access to fresh air as they move between indoors and outdoors. Staff support them to develop their physical skills as they make an obstacle course. Children show resilience and problem-solving skills when pieces do not fit together. n Parent partnerships are strong. Parents speak highly of staff and how 'warm and friendly' they are. Parents feel well informed about their children's progress. The staff share information with parents about how they can support their children's learning at home. n Staff promote the development of early mathematics. They sing counting rhymes and incorporate counting objects and mathematical language in their interactions with children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are knowledgeable about the signs of abuse and the action they must take to ensure children's safety. Staff are aware of the nursery's whistle-blowing policy and the local procedures to follow if they have a concern regarding a member of staff. Effective recruitment and vetting are in place and there are clear induction procedures and training for new starters. All staff have completed safeguarding training, and some staff have completed additional training on safeguarding issues such as female genital mutilation, the 'Prevent' duty and domestic violence.

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should:

n enhance formal supervisions of staff to focus more sharply on providing clear targets for professional development, to raise the quality of practice further n increase partnership working with other settings that children attend to promote a more consistent approach to care and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY550380 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10280557 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 56 Number of children on roll 106 Name of registered person Action For Children Developments Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01603 439286 Date of previous inspection 25 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Spring Thorpe Hamlet registered in 2017 and is based in Norwich. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and four hold qualifications at level 6, including two with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children spoke 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 carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the 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

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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