Little Willows Kindergarten

Inspection of Little Willows Kindergarten Joicey Road, Gateshead NE9 5AT

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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 enter the setting excited, happy and pleased to see their friends and the warm, friendly staff. They settle quickly and flourish in the nurturing environment. Children independently access a broad range of resources that are set up by staff, who know children and their interests well. For instance, toddlers place trains onto wooden tracks and hunt for bugs hidden in sand. This helps to develop their fine motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination. Older toddlers practise yoga moves with staff, developing their physical skills as they learn how to move and stretch their bodies. They confidently mix mud and pour water in the outdoor mud kitchen. This helps to develop their large- and small-muscle skills.

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The provision is good

Older children demonstrate high levels of engagement in small-group activities. They take turns describing and guessing the names of different types of fruit. Children excitedly name a kiwi and explain that it is 'furry' and 'hairy'. Children take part in weekly French lessons and are eager to use the words they know in French to describe the colours of each fruit. Babies actively engage in activities of their own choosing. They crawl into a low-level sandpit and stack wooden bricks on top of one another. Staff encourage babies to select items from a song bag and they eagerly move their bodies as staff sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle'. Staff are excellent role models. They have high expectations of the children in their care. Children behave very well.

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need to do better?

n The manager is ambitious and passionate about her role. She has good support from the regional manager and the provider. The manager has implemented a number of changes to improve the quality of the setting. For example, communication with parents has improved, and staff and parents report how the changes have made a positive impact on the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is knowledgeable and understands her responsibilities well. She knows where to go to access advice and makes swift referrals to ensure that children get the support they require. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make the best possible progress. n Children have superb opportunities to develop their physical skills. They go on regular outings to local parks and each room spends quality time in the setting's well-resourced garden. Older children relish using spray bottles and pretending

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need to do better?

to put out 'fires'. Toddlers enjoy climbing across wooden planks and painting on large sheets of paper. This helps to develop their small-muscle skills, balance and coordination. n Children are kind and polite. They use good manners without any prompting from staff. Where children need support, staff provide gentle reminders, such as

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need to do better?

29 March 2023 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'. This helps children to understand the expectations within the setting. n The manager carries out regular supervision meetings and staff attend regular training sessions. However, managers have not further developed the coaching and mentoring that staff receive, to support their teaching and raise it to an even higher level. n Children's mathematical skills are developing well. Babies sit with caring staff and sing 'Five little ducks'. Toddlers count as they bounce balls up and down on the parachute. Older children add sea creatures into a jug and count to eight independently. Staff encourage them to compare which jug has the most water in. Children confidently use mathematical language, such as 'full' and 'empty'. This helps to develop children's early mathematical skills. n Children benefit from a language-rich environment. Staff introduce a wide range of vocabulary and use simple sign language to help children to communicate.

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need to do better?

They ask age-appropriate questions and support children to express their ideas and recall past experiences. For example, staff ask children to recall their favourite memories. This helps to develop children's communication skills. n Partnership with parents is a real strength of this setting. Staff gather detailed information about children's backgrounds and developmental starting points on entry. Staff use the information to help children settle quickly. Where children struggle to settle, staff work closely with families to support them. Parents feel well informed and involved in their children's learning. They comment that they feel staff 'go above and beyond'. n Children's independence is well supported. Babies move around the room, independently accessing their favourite resources. Toddlers put on their own coats and attempt to put on their own shoes. Older children serve themselves lunch. Staff provide lots of praise and encouragement. This helps to develop

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need to do better?

children's confidence and raise their self-esteem.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe. The manager ensures that staff receive regular training. All staff are aware of the indicators of abuse and know how to report any concerns. Staff understand the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a colleague. Managers put in place risk assessments, and staff carry out safety checks as they set up each morning to ensure that the environment is safe for children. There are safer recruitment processes in place, and a thorough system for checking the ongoing suitability of staff.

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should:

29 March 2023 n strengthen support for staff through coaching and mentoring to raise the quality of education to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY540675 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 10280476 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 120 Number of children on roll 127 Name of registered person Sister Act North East Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0191 487 3777 Date of previous inspection 15 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Willows Kindergarten registered in 2016 and is located in Gateshead. It employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, one has an appropriate early years qualification at level 5 and 17 have level 3 qualifications. The setting opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 setting 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 and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with the manager and regional manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector carried out a joint observations of an activity with the manager.

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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

29 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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