Apple Blossom Day Nursery

Inspection of Apple Blossom Day Nursery St. Catherines Court, 2 & 3 Timber Beach Road, Sunderland Enterprise Park, SUNDERLAND, Tyne & Wear SR5 3XJ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children settle well, are happy and have a very good level of self-esteem. Staff talk to the children about what they wish to do. Children are confident to explore their own ideas and to work cooperatively with their friends. For example, children play together with diggers. They compare the amount of sand they can lift, challenging themselves to find out why some can carry more. They consider things such as weight, size and colour, quickly ruling out the impact of colour.

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The provision is good

Children are imaginative and keen to investigate the natural world. For instance, children are fascinated by a big, fat worm crawling around the garden. They watch it move across the soil, wondering where it is going. They talk to it kindly, saying hello and asking where it lives. Staff talk to them about keeping the worm safe and being careful with living things. Children ask if he is making a house and how he can do that without any arms. Staff challenge children to think about it. Children take some time to think, and they shout, 'I know! He can build it with his head.'

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is very good. Staff skilfully support children to consistently and appropriately understand the rules and boundaries for their age and abilities. Older, more self-assured children are kind to younger ones, making sure they include them in activities and routines.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have improved staff's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and children's development since the previous inspection. Staff use their skills well to plan a good range of experiences that interest and engage children. They support children effectively to build on the things they can do to help them gain new skills. For example, toddlers learn to climb a small step so they can wash and dry their hands independently. This helps to develop independence and physical skills. n Staff help children to understand, describe and manage their emotions appropriately. For instance, staff use a story about colours and emotions to help children think about their feelings and practise vocalising them to others. This helps children to consider other people's feeling and views. n Partnerships with parents are successful. Staff use various ways to engage parents and obtain information from them about children's achievements at

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need to do better?

home. All parents, including those who have children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, speak very positively about the care and learning their children receive. n Staff firmly establish the key-person arrangements. They know their key children well. Children and babies build strong bonds with all the staff, who care for them. Key persons work closely with other professionals and adults, when

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need to do better?

18 May 2023 needed. Staff support children's move to new rooms and their transition to school effectively. n All children benefit from plenty of play time in the outdoor area. They freely access a variety of sensory and physical activities. For instance, children climb and jump in and out of tyres. Staff ensure that children are safe and secure, and they help them to manage risks effectively. Staff discuss the importance of eating healthily. However, occasionally, staff do not extend children's thinking during the routines, to maximise every learning opportunity. n Leadership and management are good. The supervision of staff ensures that the quality of observation, assessment and teaching is consistently evaluated, ensuring that children make good progress. The new manager has high expectations for staff and children and is ambitious for the setting. Leaders value staff's dedication and continue to support their well-being following recent

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need to do better?

changes to staff and management. n The manager recognises that children need further support in developing their mark-making skills. However, staff are not sufficiently focused on the experiences planned for younger children's development in this area. For example, they do not use mark-making resources to best effect for babies and toddlers. At times, they are not easily available for them to choose.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff regularly update and share their safeguarding knowledge through training, online research and discussions. Leaders question staff about their knowledge regularly to check their understanding of safeguarding issues. Staff confidently know how to identify concerns about a child's welfare. This includes any signs that a child may be at risk of exposure to extreme views or practices. Staff monitor attendance well and follow up absences. The manager knows what to do if she has concerns about the behaviour of a member of staff.

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should:

n continue to improve staff's skills to help them make the most of all opportunities, including mealtimes, to extend children's learning even further n support staff to provide younger children with consistent opportunities to understand what the marks they make represent and to develop their early writing skills further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY450875 Local authority Sunderland Inspection number 10245119 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 53 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Apple Blossom Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01915489000 Date of previous inspection 20 May 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Apple Blossom Day Nursery registered in 2012. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery employs eight members of staff. All hold appropriate childcare qualifications from level 5 to level 2. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a tour of the setting and discussed how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector observed the quality of interactions during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation of a group time with the manager. n A senior manager, the manager, staff and children spoke to the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Parents shared their views with the inspector, and the inspector took these into account. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of all persons working at the setting.

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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 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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