Centre Place Nursery

Inspection of Centre Place Nursery Centre Place, 15 Prospect Close, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SS1 2JD

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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

All children sing the 'welcome' song at the beginning of the day. This contributes to a feeling of familiarity and security as they progress through the nursery. Babies wave joyfully in response. Staff use sign language as they sing, so children become aware of different forms of communication. The youngest children are beginning to learn how to take part in back-and-forth conversations. Staff listen intently and respond to their cues. This encourages babies to feel valued and speak more. Older children listen to a popular story and join in with repetitive phrases. This helps to build on their existing vocabulary and understanding. At times, children choose a favourite book and approach a member of staff to read it to them. They comfortably snuggle in and enjoy this one-to-one time.

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The provision is good

Children show resilience and try and work things out for themselves. They are immensely proud of their achievements. Children cheer and shout, 'I did it!'. They are confident to ask for help when they find tasks difficult. Staff offer guidance and advice to help them master skills, such as using a knife to slice a variety of vegetables. They remind children how to do this safely and carefully. Children explore different ways their bodies can move. For example, they competently swing on the climbing frame. Staff are nearby but allow children the freedom to experiment and manage their own risks.

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need to do better?

n The dedicated manager has an exceptionally good understanding of the context of the nursery and how she can best support children and their families. She recognises that each child has unique experiences, and plans a curriculum that endeavours to close gaps in children's knowledge, based on their starting points. The manager acknowledges the importance of offering outdoor play for those who may not usually have access to an outside space. n The manager has a clear vision. She successfully evaluates the service she provides and plans to continually improve. For instance, the manager has identified that she would like to broaden children's experiences in the local community. Additionally, she focusses on staff well-being to enable them to face the challenges of their roles. In return, staff feel well-supported through many training opportunities and regular supervisions. n Staff focus strongly on helping children manage their own emotions. They

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need to do better?

sensitively use story times to encourage them to talk about their feelings. Children delight in explaining why the characters in the book might be scared of the bear. Additional funding has been used to purchase resources, such as role- play costumes, that help boost children's confidence and self-esteem. n Children show good levels of independence. They are eager to show the inspector how they can use the water dispenser. However, staff do not

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need to do better?

25 May 2023 consistently reinforce children's growing understanding of keeping themselves healthy. For example, occasionally, they do not remind children to wash their hands before eating. n Staff organise the routines so that they do not interrupt children's engagement in their learning. For instance, children make their own decisions about whether they want to stop playing to have their snack. Nevertheless, at times, some staff do not enable children to express their own ideas and creativity during adult-led activities. n Children invite staff to join in with their play. Staff enthusiastically demonstrate how they can draw round each other with chalk. They skilfully introduce mathematics when they compare the different sizes, and incidentally use words such as 'bigger' and 'taller'. This contributes to children's deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

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need to do better?

extremely well. They precisely tailor their interactions to suit each child's individual needs. The knowledgeable special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with other agencies and provides relevant guidance. As a result, all children make progress and are able to take an active part in the nursery day. n Parents are very happy that their children spend time outdoors at the nursery and learn to appreciate nature through activities such as growing herbs. They receive detailed daily feedback and gain ideas to support their child's learning at home. Parents say their children have 'thrived' throughout their time at the nursery, and that the welcoming staff really understand their children's needs. Teachers visit the nursery to get to know children and ease their transitions to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and managers build strong, trusting partnerships with parents, which allows them to monitor children's well-being effectively. They have a wide range of safeguarding knowledge and know the procedures to follow if they have any child protection concerns. This includes in the event of an allegation against themselves or a colleague. Staff attend regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge current. They recognise the vital importance of monitoring attendance and records. All staff undergo checks to evidence their suitability to work with children.

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should:

n strengthen hygiene practices to reinforce the importance of personal hygiene n support staff to understand the importance of enabling children to be creative

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should:

25 May 2023 and express their own ideas.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2634742 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10285315 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 50 Number of children on roll 83 Name of registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance

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reference number

Telephone number 01702 619893 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Centre Place registered in 2021. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, all year round except for bank holidays, Christmas holidays and staff training days. 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 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 provision. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff and children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The SENCo 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 manager and deputy manager carried out joint observations of group activities with the inspector. 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

25 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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