Darnall Community Nursery

Inspection of Darnall Community Nursery Darnall Childrens Centre, 563 Staniforth Road, SHEFFIELD S9 4RA

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this warm and welcoming nursery. Home visits are completed for all children. Children are also invited to the 'Ready, steady, go' group with their parents and carers prior to starting at the nursery. This provides staff with an insightful view of children's previous experiences and knowledge, as well as helps to build positive relationships with each child and their family. Children's emotional well-being and good health is key area staff actively promote. Funding has been obtained so that children benefit from a range of free meals while they attend the nursery. In the gardening area, children learn to grow a vast array of vegetables and fruits, which they happily try when harvested.

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The provision is outstanding

When starting nursery, most children have skills and knowledge which is below expected levels. Due to positive staff interactions, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make the progress which they are capable of. Dedicated and experienced staff know each child exceptionally well, which enables them to provide every child with a rich set of purposeful play experiences. These experiences provoke children's natural curiosity as learners. For example, children learn about how plants, flowers and vegetables grow from seeds in the designated gardening area. When growing sunflowers, staff extend children's learning by introducing tape measures, so that they can measure how tall the sunflowers have grown. Staff also send home connect packs with children, which contain all the resources and instructions needed to grow a sunflower at home. This enables children's exploration and learning to be continued at home.

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need to do better?

n The nursery is run by a dedicated management team who closely review and monitor staff practice. The committee are hands on and work with management, overseeing the running of the provision. Management and staff are very reflective, which results in practice continually evolving so that high standards are maintained. Management happily share their strong practice by allowing staff form other early years settings to visit their nursery. n Children with SEND are cared for in a dedicated area, with experienced and trained staff. Intensive support is offered to these children to meet their specific needs. Close working relationships are developed with other professionals and targeted support plans implemented, to ensure gaps in children's learning are supported to close. n The extremely well organised outdoor environment provides a wide range of opportunities for children to develop their skills. Smaller secure areas are set up

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need to do better?

to allow children to plant and grow vegetables, or go pond dipping. Another area is used as a nurture area to help children to gain confidence, develop social skills and learn how to manage their own emotions and behaviours. Through the

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need to do better?

7 June 2023 encouraging approach of staff, children develop positive attitudes to learning. n Staff enthusiastically respond to children's interests and use these opportunities to build on children's communication and thinking skills. For example, when children excitedly show a staff member a small piece of fence is missing, the staff member asks for the children's thoughts on what could have done this. Children excitedly discuss how it could have been a squirrel or ants, with the staff member praising their good ideas. n Regular routines enable children to learn about expectations. The nurturing, respectful approach of staff supports children to learn to be respectful, to become independent and behave well. n Staff place great emphasis on supporting all children to develop their confidence and social and communication skills. For children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language, staff skilfully repeat simple words, use

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need to do better?

visual aids and identify words associated with objects. Dedicated and well- planned interactive activities are also used to support children's growing listening, attention and understanding skills. Staff understand how these skills lay a secure foundation on which children's future learning and development is built upon. n Daily story-time sessions in the nursery and bedtime reading packs sent home with parents help to promote children's interest in books, while further aiding their communication skills. n All children show confidence and emotional security in the care of staff. The consistent exchange of information between staff, parents and other professionals ensures children's needs are met. It also ensures their safety and enables staff to continually enhance children's learning. This comprehensive approach results in children developing skills which are more broadly in line with expectations by the time they leave to go to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children remain safe due to the vigilance of the staff team. Accidents are risk assessed to check that there are no common themes or patterns emerging. Staff are knowledgeable about a wide range of possible indicators of abuse. They fully understand the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child or a staff member. Close liaison with outside agencies ensures information is continually exchanged, so that children remain protected from potential harm. Staff help children and parents to learn about online safety issues, so that children remain safe when using technology at home and in the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY497527 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10282785 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 42 Number of children on roll 126 Name of registered person Active Community Trust Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0114 2423510 Date of previous inspection 5 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Darnall Community Nursery registered in 2016 and is located in Sheffield. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. Two of the staff hold early years professional status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. 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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The early years lead staff member joined the inspector on a learning walk, and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Children spoke to/communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The early years lead staff member and inspector carried out a joint observation during a planned activity. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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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

7 June 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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