Banana Moon Mere Green

Inspection of Banana Moon Mere Green 340 Lichfield Road, Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 4BH

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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 are happy and content at this welcoming nursery. They develop close friendships and build strong attachments with their key person and staff. Children display positive behaviour. They understand what is expected from them and enjoy the responsibility of carrying out small tasks. For example, older children help staff to check the outside areas before play, to help identify any potential risks. This helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe. Children have regular opportunities throughout the day to play and exercise in the fresh air. They enjoy navigating an obstacle course and use their core strength and coordination, as they carefully balance across wooden planks. Babies are supported well as they practise their early walking skills. They learn to pull themselves up to standing and staff clap and cheer, as they begin to take their first steps.

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The provision is good

Children develop good levels of confidence and social skills. For example, they excitedly ask the inspector to join in with their play, share toys with her and talk about what they enjoy at the nursery. Children are inquisitive and are becoming independent learners. They follow their interests and make choices on what they would like to do. Children enjoy using their imagination and being creative. They confidently use glue sticks and different materials and proudly show their creations and artwork to staff.

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The provision is good

All children have opportunities to enjoy books independently. They benefit from the nursery's lending library, which enables them to share books at home. Staff read stories to the children with enthusiasm and introduce new words to increase their growing vocabulary.

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need to do better?

n Staff are caring and attentive to the individual needs of the children. They are respectful and considerate during nappy changing, and use this one-to-one time to engage in positive interactions. For example, staff calmly talk to babies about what they are doing and sing nursery rhymes. n Staff know the children well and plan interesting and engaging adult-led activities based on their learning needs. However, staff do not consistently recognise opportunities during planned activities to extend children's learning and build on what they already know, to help them make the best possible progress. n Staff promote children's communication and language development well. For example, staff provide narratives as children play, ask open questions and give children time to think and express their thoughts and ideas. Staff listen intently to what children have to say and extend the flow of conversation. n Overall, staff encourage children's independence and self-care skills. For

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need to do better?

18 April 2023 example, older children serve their own food at mealtimes and babies learn to use a spoon to feed themselves. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to take responsibility for the toys they play with. For example, children are not encouraged to tidy up the toys once they have finished playing with them. n Babies have opportunities to explore sensory play. They use their hand-to-eye coordination as they enthusiastically fill and empty containers with porridge oats. Children enjoy searching for seashells hidden in sand. Staff promote their mathematical development, encouraging them to count how many they have found. n Staff help children to develop a good understanding of similarities and differences between themselves and their friends. They learn about their own cultures and celebrate festivals throughout the year, which helps children to develop an awareness of what makes them unique and the diverse world they

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need to do better?

live in. n The manager is passionate and ambitious about providing the best possible care and education. Banana Moon has developed a curriculum that reflects the interests of the children and what they need to learn next. As a result, children make good progress from their starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The manager continually reflects on the experiences children receive in the nursery and identifies what they do well and areas for future development. For example, the manager has recently improved the outdoor area to provide more learning opportunities that include planting and growing. n Staff are encouraged in their professional development and benefit from regular supervisions. They discuss training needs, children's learning and staff well- being. As a result, staff feel valued and supported by the manager. n The manager and staff work hard to build strong parent partnerships. They keep

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need to do better?

parents informed on where their children are in their learning and the care they receive. Feedback from parents is highly complementary. They state that staff are fabulous and genuinely care for their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff are knowledgeable about signs of abuse and understand their responsibilities in keeping children safe. They know who to report to if they have any concerns about a child's welfare or the conduct of a colleague. Staff are aware of wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty and county lines. The manager provides parents with guidance about how to keep children safe when using the internet at home. She follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are deployed effectively and supervise children at all times to ensure their safety.

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should:

n promote children's independence further by encouraging them to take responsibility for their toys and immediate environment, such as tidying up resources they are no longer using n support staff to consistently recognise opportunities during planned activities to extend children's learning and build on what they already know, to help children make the best possible progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY447021 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10280605 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 74 Number of children on roll 113 Name of registered person Disc Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 308 0338 Date of previous inspection 30 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Banana Moon Day Nursery registered in 2012. It is located in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. The nursery opens all year round from Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5. 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 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

18 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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