Whitstable Day Nursery

Inspection of Whitstable Day Nursery Vulcan Close, WHITSTABLE, Kent CT5 4LZ

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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 have great fun attending this calm, home-from-home nursery. Staff have developed secure bonds with children, who feel comfortable in their environment. Babies and toddlers show high levels of enjoyment. They smile and clap their hands as staff sing their favourite songs and rhymes. Pre-school children display high levels of confidence as they engage in regular conversations with staff and their friends. Children are exposed to a language-rich environment.

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The provision is good

Children have plenty of opportunities to become independent learners. Staff have created an inviting environment that encourages children to follow their interests. For example, pre-school children show a particular interest in making a wormery. Staff respond by providing a step-by-step guide as children complete the task for themselves. Children use sand, soil and leaves and talk about making 'air holes'. Babies and toddlers enjoy the sensory experience of exploring different ways to break ice, which encourages them to be curious in their play and learning.

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The provision is good

Children love the freedom of being outdoors in the fresh air. They enjoy climbing and sliding on the outdoor equipment. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical strength and coordination. For example, children show good control as they balance on tyres.

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need to do better?

n Staff are good role models. There are lots of sociable times during the day between staff and children. For example, they all sit together for snack and lunch. This helps children to build on their social interactions and embeds a consistent routine. Staff regularly encourage pre-school children to think about their actions. For example, children are reminded to keep themselves safe when using scissors. Staff talk about how to hold the scissors safely when children have finished. n Staff know the children very well and talk confidently about their levels of progress. Staff interact positively with children to engage them and extend their learning. For example, as younger children play with toy trains, staff help them to build a track. However, during group activities, staff sometimes focus their teaching on the more confident children. They do not always recognise when children who are less confident would benefit from further support to develop

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need to do better?

the confidence to willingly share their ideas. n Staff place importance on children's individual cultures, traditions and home languages. They work closely with parents, who provide a variety of words from their home language to incorporate into the nursery. This helps children who are bilingual or speak English as an additional language to make connections and improves their understanding of spoken English.

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need to do better?

21 March 2023 n Staff support children to develop their independence. For example, toddlers are encouraged to try and put their coats on by themselves. Staff recognise and provide support when needed. Pre-school children have opportunities to serve themselves at mealtimes. For example, at lunchtime, children wait patiently for their friends to finish before they self-serve their food. n Staff use effective questioning techniques with pre-school children. They ask children to think about what might happen next. This helps to embed children's knowledge and allows staff to find out what children already know. However, staff working with the youngest children ask many questions at once before giving them time to respond. Therefore, at these times, babies and toddlers do not have enough time to process and understand what is being asked of them. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those

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need to do better?

whose development is being monitored are supported well. Staff work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure that children with SEND receive the support they need. Children with SEND make good progress. n Parents speak highly of all staff. They comment on their 'trusting' relationships with the 'nurturing' staff. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that children settle in well. This supports children's emotional well-being and reflects a positive partnership with parents. n The manager has good support systems in place for staff. She provides feedback and coaching to support their practice and provides regular supervision sessions to identify potential areas of training. As a result, staff morale is high, and they feel well supported in their roles. This results in a good level of staff retention.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager places high emphasis on safeguarding throughout the nursery. All staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding. They have up-to-date safeguarding training and paediatric first-aid certificates. Staff know the potential signs and symptoms of abuse and who to contact if they have concerns about a child's safety and welfare. They are familiar with safeguarding issues, including the 'Prevent' duty and female genital mutilation. The manager has robust recruitment procedures in place and ensures that suitability checks are carried out on staff. The manager knows what to do if an allegation is made against a member of staff.

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should:

n support staff more closely in adapting group activities to ensure that all children, particularly quieter children, are able to fully engage and benefit from the learning opportunities n help staff to develop the youngest children's communication and language skills

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should:

21 March 2023 even further by giving them more time to process language and respond to simple questions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY320142 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10280287 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 35 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person Kindergarten Kids Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01227 274435 Date of previous inspection 16 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Whistable Day Nursery registered in 2005 and is located in Whistable, Kent. The nursery employs 13 members of staff. Of these, two members of staff hold qualifications at level 6, and eight members of staff hold qualifications at level 3. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about the nursery's curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Children spoke to 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 observed the interactions between staff and children. 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

21 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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