Applepips Day Nursery

Inspection of Applepips Day Nursery 1 Artex Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LN

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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 settle quickly as they arrive for the day ahead and display a firm sense of belonging. They thrive under the high level of support and attention that staff pride themselves in providing for the children in their care. Children are safe and secure. They have the freedom to explore in their play and this helps them to build confidence in their new skills and learning. Children behave well. They are developing higher levels of resilience and understanding in managing their own emotions under the role-modelling of the staff team. Children are kind and caring. They are starting to understand and recognise the differences and similarities in themselves and others.

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The provision is good

Children are excited learners who benefit greatly from the curriculum that is effectively planned to support their progress. They eagerly participate in planned activities and in the wide range of resources provided for them. Older children are very independent and babies are supported to help them to quickly develop these skills. For instance, children are able to dress themselves for outside play, and practise with the school uniforms in the dress up area. This helps them to master more challenging tasks, such as buttons and zips. Babies are starting to feed themselves at mealtimes under the gently encouragement of the staff team.

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need to do better?

n The manager and the deputy manager form a strong leadership team. Staff feel valued, and that they are a large part of the vision and ethos of the nursery. Staff receive regular supervisions to help them to reflect on their own practice and be involved in planning for their own professional development. All staff attend training, which improves their knowledge. For example, a recent course has helped to strengthen staff understanding of how to support the development of much younger children and babies more fully. n Children make good and steady progress. Their development is observed closely to ensure that potential gaps in their learning are identified swiftly. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who receive funding and children who have English as an additional language are provided with more targeted support, to ensure they reach their fullest potential. The manager

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need to do better?

understands the importance of sharing information with other professionals to provide children with a joined-up approach to their development. n Partnerships with parents are strong, and this remains an area for continual strengthening from the leadership team. The team takes pride in the relationships they build with parents to support children, both at the setting and when at home. Regular meetings take place, which helps parents to feel fully involved with their child's successes and to be a part of the planning for the next steps in children's learning.

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need to do better?

9 May 2023 n Children are gaining good physical skills. Babies fill containers with dried pasta to support their developing hand-to-eye coordination. All children have regular access to the outdoors for fresh air and exercise. Older children take part in weekly physical development sessions, which helps to build on their spatial awareness and to learn about managing simple risks in their play. However, other learning opportunities in the outdoors are not as enthralling for children as the indoors, to support those who prefer to learn in this environment. As such, children are not as engaged or involved in their own independent play. n The manager uses the process of self-evaluation well. She prioritises capturing the suggestions and ideas of children, staff and parents to clearly identify areas for improvement. For example, there is a focus on strengthening planned activities to increase children's early literacy skills and their enjoyment of books.

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need to do better?

The manager has worked well towards the recommendations set at the last inspection. For instance, staff have improved their understanding of how to more fully support children's communication and language. n Older children enjoy being part of large group art and craft activities. They use their increasing memory and recall skills, as they draw a fire engine together and show confidence in sharing their own ideas. However, opportunities for babies and younger children to be creative in their play and learning are not as well planned as they are for older children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of how to protect the children in their care. They have good knowledge of the signs and symptoms which may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff know the procedures to use to report concerns to protect the welfare of children. Staff use good risk assessments to help keep children safe when at the nursery both indoors and outdoors. The manager follows effective recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that staff working with children are suitable and reviews their ongoing suitability on a regular basis.

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should:

n enhance the outdoor learning environment to provide learning experiences that are rich, varied and stimulating, particularly for those children who prefer to learn outdoors n plan more opportunities for babies and younger children to be creative in their play and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486351 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10279854 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 22 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Applepips Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01903 783917 Date of previous inspection 2 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Applepips Day Nursery registered in 2015. The nursery operates in Rustington, West Sussex. The nursery is open between 8am and 6pm, each weekday, throughout the year. The nursery employs six staff, of whom four hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and one holds a qualification at level 2. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the setting. n The deputy manager, the manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum for the setting is organised. The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector and the manager completed a joint observation together and discussed plans for evaluation and areas identified for improvement within the nursery. n The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including suitability checks and staff qualifications. The manager, the deputy manager and the inspector held a leadership meeting at the end of the inspection. n The inspector observed the teaching and learning in both the indoor and the

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Inspection activities

outdoors and the impact this has on the development of the children. The inspector spoke directly to parents and took account of their comments, including written comments.

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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

9 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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