Puddleducks

Inspection of Puddleducks Blacky More Community Centre, 30 Butts Croft Close, Northampton NN4 0WP

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are greeted by welcoming and friendly staff. This helps children to settle quickly when they arrive. Children form secure relationships with their key persons and the other staff working in the nursery. These close attachments help children to feel safe and secure. Children receive encouragement and praise from staff for their achievements. This helps children to develop good levels of self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. As a result, children are happy to engage visitors in their conversations, explaining what they can do and what they enjoy learning. Children develop friendships within the nursery. They play together well and enjoy helping each other. Even the youngest children instinctively help their friends. For example, children share glue and sequins when making coronation crowns. They are polite and respond with 'thank you' and smiles for their friends.

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The provision is good

Generally, children behave well. They select the resources that they wish to use and become independent in meeting their own needs. The staff know the children well and plan the environment to support their development. This contributes to children making good progress in their learning. For instance, children develop strength in their hands in preparation for early writing as they mould play dough that staff offer them. They roll and squeeze it into different shapes.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff devise a curriculum to support children to develop many skills across the seven areas of learning. Staff have a good understanding of the curriculum and how children learn. They sequence learning to give children knowledge and understanding of many subjects and topics. Children benefit from a broad range of activities that support them to make good progress for the future. n The manager works closely with the staff. She meets with them to support them in their roles and discusses areas of development. However, staff do not have as many opportunities for specific professional development. For instance, they are not supported to build on their skills when working with children who speak English as an additional language. This would enable them to provide even more support for children's learning needs. n Generally, managers and staff support children to develop their communication

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need to do better?

and language skills well. They speak clearly to children and sometimes use gestures, facial expressions and sign language to support children's understanding. Staff introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary. For example, when spotting a 'daddy long legs', staff talk about how it is 'camouflaged' against the wall so it is difficult to see. However, adult-led activities are not always planned so that all children can achieve the same levels of focus and engagement. At times, children become distracted and lose

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need to do better?

3 May 2023 interest, and they miss out on planned learning opportunities. n Children develop their physical skills well, and staff encourage them to take on challenges as they learn new skills. The youngest children learn how to climb the equipment in the garden as they watch and copy the older children. Staff excitedly praise children for challenging themselves as they successfully climb independently. n The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) liaises with staff and parents to seek the appropriate help to ensure that children with SEND get the support they require. They monitor children's progress and make referrals to other professionals as needed. As a result, children with SEND make good progress in their learning. n Staff provide lots of opportunities in the day to support children to understand

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need to do better?

and use mathematical language. For example, they ask children to count how many children are at the snack table. Staff help children to make comparisons, such as 'more' and 'less', when they share play dough. They use language such as 'bigger' and 'smaller' when describing the different sizes of bubbles. n Parents comment positively about their children's experiences at the setting. Parents report that their children are developing confidence and making friends. They appreciate the information staff share about their children's progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager follows good procedures to ensure that adults working with children are suitable for their roles. They provide new staff with induction training to ensure that they understand their role and responsibilities. Staff are aware of the indicators that may suggest that a child is at risk from harm. They know how to recognise potential signs of abuse and neglect and who to report their concerns to. Staff complete training and participate in regular quizzes to keep their knowledge up to date. They record and monitor accidents, complaints and existing injuries. Registers of attendance are thorough and accurate.

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should:

n identify professional development opportunities for staff to further improve the quality of education for all children, including those who speak English as an additional language n strengthen the planning of adult-led activities to ensure all children are able to access the same learning opportunities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2618209 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10264970 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 28 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Red Robins Nannery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07704 007392 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Puddleducks registered in 2020 and is located in Northampton. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. 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 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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The SENDCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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 spoke with the manager, looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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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Inspection activities

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