Dragonflies Community Nursery

Inspection of Dragonflies Community Nursery Sidley Childrens Centre, Sidley House, 121 Ninfield Road, Bexhill-on-sea TN39 5BD

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children flourish at this caring and nurturing nursery. They are excited to arrive, and they settle quickly as they seek out their friends to play with. Babies are extremely well cared for. They are calm in the presence of the sensitive and affectionate adults who they trust and who know them very well. Children behave exceptionally well. For instance, they look after resources and take responsibility for washing dishes and tidying them away. Children have exemplary manners and are very kind to each other. They are keen to include adults in their play and display wonderful social skills when meeting new visitors to the nursery. For example, they approach the inspector and say with a smile, 'Are you new? You can help us build this den if you like'.

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The provision is outstanding

Children enjoy a range of exciting and challenging activities. They demonstrate extremely high levels of engagement. Children persevere and are keen to solve problems for themselves. For instance, they follow pictorial cues on how many scoops to use when measuring out ingredients to make dough. They count scoops confidently, predict how much they will need and recognise when they have too much. All children make exceptional progress from their starting points. This is due to the highly ambitious and extremely well-sequenced curriculum, that is delivered by a talented and skilled staff team.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have very high expectations for children to be ready for their next educational journey and to succeed in life. This particularly applies to those children who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders inspire the staff and support them to develop and improve their already excellent practice. A real strength of the nursery is the leaders' commitment to serving the children's families. The leaders are highly motivated and think of unique ways in which they can support families to engage in their child's learning. n All children, including babies, are engaged in meaningful play throughout the day. For example, older children access intervention groups across the nursery, where staff are well deployed to inspire them in their learning. Staff examine and discuss factual books with children, who use this information to build a tower for dinosaurs to climb. Children quickly act when it collapses to 'build it

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need to do better?

better and stronger'. n Children develop a love of books and stories which has an impressive impact on their communication and language. Babies clap and use shakers when songs are sung to them. They cuddle up with staff and become engrossed in the stories. Children across the nursery use books in their play. They sit alongside each other, sharing stories and discussing the characters and the plot which they then

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need to do better?

3 May 2023 extend into their play in the garden. Children take books home in interactive packs so that families can act out stories using puppets and props. As a result of this focus on early reading, children are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their education. n Partnership with parents is exemplary. Leaders engage families in a variety of ways. For instance, they attend the regular play afternoons and take part in information sessions, which help parents with their child's diet, oral health and how to keep their children safe online. Parents comment that the nursery has been a 'lifeline', and that the service provided has had such a positive impact on their lives. Parents are delighted with the interactive home-learning packs and digital tutorials on current poems and stories. They are grateful that they can take bicycles and other equipment home so that their children can get the benefit of more physical exercise in the local parks.

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need to do better?

n Children have a thorough understanding of what a healthy lifestyle looks like. They tell the inspector that 'running around in the fresh air is very good for breathing and is fun.' Children have their own growing garden at the nursery. They expertly plant seeds and confidently explain that the water and sun will make them grow into vegetables, which they will eat. Children carefully and independently transport the potted seeds to a greenhouse. They are praised by staff for doing this for themselves. Children beam with pride when they attempt something for the first time. They have high self-esteem and confidence.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff have an extremely robust knowledge of safeguarding. All staff have a clear understanding of their duty to safeguard children. They confidently know all the categories of abuse and can identify the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know the actions to take if they have concerns about a colleague's behaviour. They are secure in their knowledge of how to protect children and how to take appropriate action. Leaders have a stringent recruitment process which includes checking staff's suitability to continue to work with children. The premises, which includes an external woodland site, is checked rigorously to help eliminate any hazards. This helps to keep children, staff and visitors safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2625375 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10280945 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 42 Number of children on roll 91 Name of registered person Bexhill Family Collective CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 07860284862 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dragonflies Community Nursery was registered in February 2021. It operates from Sidley Children's Centre in Bexhill, East Sussex. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm all year round. It receives funding to provide free early education to two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are 14 staff, all of whom have a relevant early years qualification.

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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 manager 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 nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke with the manager, deputy manager and director about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector took account of the views of the children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and including paediatric first-aid

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Inspection activities

certificates and 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

3 May 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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