Children 1st @ Plum Tree

Inspection of Children 1st @ Plum Tree Station Road, Plumtree, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG12 5NA

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children and parents are warmly welcomed when they arrive at the nursery. There are effective handover practices, and babies and children settle quickly, ready for their day. Children are happy and show excitement about the activities that are available. They soon become busy in their play. Children show they feel safe and secure. They have warm, nurturing relationships with their key person. Children are able to share and take turns extremely well. For instance, children pass the flour to one another as they make play dough, and listen to each other at group time. Older children take ownership of their room as they set the table for lunch and help organise some of the activities. They thrive on the responsibility to have a monitor job.

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The provision is good

Activities are carefully planned, based on individual children's interests and their learning needs. Babies are eager to explore and they develop a real thirst for learning. Staff provide excellent opportunities to support their development. Babies develop their large-muscle skills. For example, they competently climb steps and manoeuvre around furniture. Babies enjoy songs, rhymes and stories to help enhance their communication and language. Children throughout the nursery show a love of books and stories. Babies select books that are accessible to them throughout their thoughtfully designed environment. Some staff are dynamic storytellers and build anticipation when they read stories with children. This encourages children to become excited, highly engaged, and to contribute their own ideas.

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need to do better?

n The enthusiastic and experienced pre-school room leader is a positive role model for his team. Staff have benefited from opportunities to share good practice. The quality of teaching in this age group is consistently good. Leaders have a good overview of the strengths and areas that staff need to develop. However, within the toddler room, training and development opportunities are in the early stages of being implemented. This means that there are some inconsistencies of teaching practice. n Children enjoy a well-designed curriculum. However, during transition times, such as mealtimes and coming inside from outdoor play, staff deployment is not consistently well organised. This means that there are a few occasions when children are not involved in purposeful play as they are spending time waiting for others to finish. n Staff are calm and patient with the children. They allow time for children to learn

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need to do better?

and develop new skills. Children have high levels of self-control and independence. They are eager to take part in tasks, such as serving their own meals and putting their plates away. Babies feed themselves with spoons, and

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need to do better?

12 April 2023 older children use knives and forks. n Leaders and staff place a strong focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development along with their communication and language skills. They recognise that after the COVID-19 pandemic, some children need support to close gaps in these aspects of their learning. For example, staff in the baby room ensure that they emphasise their mouth movement and make eye contact when they communicate with babies. Staff support children emotionally, for example, when they first start and as they move rooms within the nursery. n Leaders and the staff team communicate well with parents. They have started a lending library to encourage children to enjoy stories at home. Staff provide a detailed handover when parents collect their children. This helps to promote continuity of care. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well

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need to do better?

supported. Leaders and staff are highly proactive in recognising concerns and supporting children. Staff work closely as a team to create individualised support plans for children. They also work with families and other professionals to build targets and support. As a result, children make good progress across all areas of learning. n Staff promote respect for cultural diversity and similarities and differences through displays and activities. For example, parents are invited into the setting to share information about their culture, and children enjoy cultural celebrations together. This gives children a sense of belonging.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders continually check that staff's knowledge of child protection is up to date. For example, staff are asked questions about possible signs of abuse. Staff know where to report any concerns about children's safety or welfare. They have a clear understanding of the procedure to follow if they have concerns about the conduct of a colleague. Leaders complete a thorough recruitment procedure when they employ new staff. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. The nursery has effective risk assessments in place to ensure the environment is safe and secure for all children.

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should:

n embed professional development, for staff in the toddler room, to build consistency in their quality of teaching n help staff to organise some parts of the daily routine to ensure that children are engaged in purposeful play at all times.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY410676 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10264240 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 143 Number of children on roll 197 Name of registered person Breedon House Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01159374755 Date of previous inspection 8 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Children 1st @ Plum Tree registered in 2010. The nursery is located in the village of Plumtree, Nottinghamshire. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two members of staff hold a qualification at level 5, 13 at level 3 and three at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for 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 two managers and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to some parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at regular times during the inspection. She carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the two managers. 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

12 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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