Wise Owl Nursery

Inspection of Wise Owl Nursery 143 Ash Bank Road, STOKE-ON-TRENT ST2 9DX

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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 arrive happy and are greeted warmly by the friendly and professional staff. They hang up their belongings and wave goodbye to their parents through the 'waving window', before settling into the familiar routines of the nursery. Children develop close bonds with their key person and other staff. As a result, children feel safe and emotionally secure. Staff genuinely care about the children and swiftly attend to their individual needs. For example, babies receive loving cuddles and gentle words of reassurance if they feel upset or tired.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from a good balance of adult-led activities and child-initiated play. They are confident in their surroundings and freely explore their environment, with an enthusiasm for learning that is shown by children of all ages. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well and make good progress.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy celebrating a range of cultural festivals during the year to help develop their awareness of the diverse world that they live in. Children are well behaved, kind and respectful to each other and staff. They learn to share and take turns from a young age. For example, toddlers engage in a group singing activity where they take turns to cuddle a teddy bear and then pass it to a friend. Older children learn the language of feelings, which helps them to talk about and begin to regulate their emotions. Children receive lots of praise and encouragement from staff, which helps to raise their self-esteem.

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need to do better?

n The manager and provider have high expectations and strive for excellence. They have designed a broad, sequenced curriculum that considers the learning needs and interests of all children. The manager and staff work in close partnership with other professionals to ensure that children with SEND receive targeted and individualised support to help close the gaps in their learning. n The manager and provider value their staff team and their well-being. They provide ongoing professional development opportunities that have a positive impact on children's learning and development. Staff benefit from regular supervisions and feedback about their practice. However, coaching and mentoring needs are not identified as swiftly as they could be. This has resulted in some minor inconsistencies in the quality of interactions children receive. n Parent partnerships are strong. Staff keep parents informed about their child's

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need to do better?

care and learning. Parents are invited into the nursery to join their children for celebrations and special events. Written feedback from parents is complimentary. They write that their children love being at the nursery and that they value the support and information staff share with them.

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need to do better?

4 April 2023 n The manager and provider use feedback from parents to identify strengths and areas for improvement. For example, they have recently developed the outdoor area and introduced more resources. There is scope, however, to develop this further to ensure that children consistently benefit from rich experiences across all areas of learning. n Staff encourage children's independence well. Older children manage their self- care needs, such as going to the toilet and washing their hands. Babies learn to feed themselves with a spoon, developing their hand-to-eye coordination. n Staff help children to develop a love of books from an early age. Babies snuggle up to staff and explore sensory books together. Staff introduce new words, such as 'fluffy' and 'soft', which helps to develop their emerging vocabulary. Children enjoy activities based on favourite books. For example, they have lots of fun in

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need to do better?

the outdoor area searching for pictures of the different fruit the caterpillar ate in 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. n Children benefit from opportunities to explore and experience the world around them. They take part in regular outings in the community that help to enrich the curriculum and extend children's learning. For example, after reading 'Jack and the Beanstalk', children visited a garden centre to look at the different plants and to purchase 'magic beans' to grow at the nursery. n Children enjoy spending time in the fresh air, developing their physical skills. They ride on balance bicycles and tricycles with good coordination and skilfully navigate climbing apparatus. Children have fun using their imagination. They dress up as pirates and climb on the wooden pirate ship. Staff join in with their play and ask open questions that promote children's thinking and conversation skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. They have a strong knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse. Staff are confident in referring any concerns they may have about a child's safety and welfare. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff complete daily checks of the premises and resources to help identify and remove any potential hazards, to ensure that children play in a safe environment.

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should:

n strengthen the arrangements for mentoring and coaching so that minor inconsistencies in practice are swiftly identified and addressed to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high standard

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should:

4 April 2023 n continue to improve the outdoor area to provide a rich environment that encompasses all areas of learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY460575 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10280547 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 75 Number of children on roll 141 Name of registered person Wise Owl Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 303960 Date of previous inspection 24 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Wise Owl Nursery registered in 2013 and is located in Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent. The nursery employs 22 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, two hold qualified teacher status, one holds early years professional status and one holds early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays. It is open between 7am and 6pm. The nursery receives funding to provide free 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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector spoke to the manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. 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

4 April 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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