Brambles Childcare Centre

Inspection of Brambles Childcare Centre Coquet Enterprise Park, Amble, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 0PE

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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 thrive at this welcoming and friendly setting. They are confident, resilient and independent learners who show high levels of self-esteem. For instance, they proudly show their art work to others. They talk about the marks they make when using chalks on the ground outside. Furthermore, they offer ideas and suggestions to find a missing teddy bear in the nursery. Staff use this as an opportunity to remind children of a well-loved 'bear hunt' story. They use positional language to help children hunt for the missing bear throughout the nursery. Children continue to persevere and encourage their friends to keep looking. They exclaim, 'Come on guys! Let's look in the bathroom!' All children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that helps them to acquire skills and knowledge for future learning.

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The provision is good

Staff are attentive and responsive to children's needs and interests. Children show that they feel safe and secure in the care of the nurturing staff team. For instance, they snuggle up to staff and ask for a cuddle if they are feeling tired. Children laugh as they use a swing rope in the nursery garden and jump into the arms of a staff member. This demonstrates the strong bonds between children and staff.

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need to do better?

n Managers are passionate and highly ambitious. They are dedicated to ensuring that all children receive high quality care. Managers offer support, coaching and modelling to their staff. Staff benefit from regular training, meetings and supervision sessions. They comment that they feel supported in their role and offer high praise for managers. This helps to promote staff's well-being. n A key strength of the nursery is partnership working with parents. Parents are highly complimentary of the care that their children receive. Managers and staff offer detailed feedback and share assessment information with parents to help continue their children's learning at home. This is particularly relevant for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents comment that their children ask to attend on days that they are not booked in, as they love the nursery. Furthermore, managers and staff work closely with

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need to do better?

external professionals to share information and work on set actions and targets for children. n Staff and children's interactions are strong and, on occasions, these interactions are outstanding. Older children use their social skills to master new challenges, ideas and tasks. They work together to transport buckets of water to a tray in the outside area. They use watering cans and gardening tools to pour and fill and empty containers. Staff talk to children about the ice that has formed in the water tray. Children laugh as they stomp, smash and break the ice. When staff show children the effects of the sunshine on the ice, children recall previous learning and talk about when the sun is hot the ice begins to melt. This shows

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need to do better?

27 March 2023 children's good thinking skills. n Children benefit from a range of physical activities. Babies use soft play and indoor climbing equipment to help develop their muscles when learning to walk. Older children use balancing beams and tyres to show their good balancing and coordination skills. Children model how to play with plastic hoops to other children. They offer support to younger children and move the hoop around them. Children show kindness as they clap and celebrate with others when the hoop spins around. n Children show an interest in stories, songs and rhymes. Staff help children to recall their favourite songs and children happily sing familiar, farm-themed songs. This helps to promote children's communication and language skills. However, staff do not consistently pronounce the correct sounds of words, particularly for children who are learning to develop their speech. For instance,

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need to do better?

they use informal versions of words, such as 'doggy', when talking to children. n Staff promote healthy lifestyles for children. This includes growing their own vegetables in the nursery garden. Children show good hygiene practices and independence as they help to put the food away after a supermarket delivery at the nursery. n Managers and staff evaluate what works well in the nursery and the areas for development. They praise children and promote sharing and turn-taking skills. However, they have not yet considered ways to review the nursery environment to support children who struggle to regulate their own feelings and behaviour.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate an excellent awareness of safeguarding matters. This includes the possible indicators of abuse and signs that a child or family may be exposed to extreme views or behaviours. Staff complete rigorous safeguarding training and supervise children very well. Staff are aware of the impact of domestic violence on children, as well as the steps to follow to report any concerns that they may have. There are clear policies and procedures in place. This includes the safe use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting and social media usage. All staff are aware of the setting's whistle-blowing procedure and how to report any allegations made against staff.

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should:

n ensure that the correct pronunciation of words is used when talking to children, particularly for children who are learning to develop their speech n review the nursery environment to offer further support children who need space to regulate their own feelings and behaviour.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY283199 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10282541 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 68 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Brambles Childcare Centre Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01665 710453 Date of previous inspection 22 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Brambles Childcare Centre registered in 2004 and is located in Amble, Morpeth. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including two at level 6. The nursery opens from 8am to 1pm on Monday, and from 8am to 6pm on Tuesday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. It 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 provider 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 operations manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

27 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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