Tiger Cubs Day Nursery

Inspection of Tiger Cubs Day Nursery New Line Learning Academy, Boughton Lane, MAIDSTONE, Kent ME15 9QL

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

The provider is new to post and is realistic in her assessments of the provision. The setting has recently been through many staff changes, causing a slightly unsettling time. This has contributed to some breaches of a requirement, although these do not have a significant impact on children's well-being and learning. The provider failed to notify Ofsted within the required timescales of changes to those personnel new to the trust and of a new manager. This is an offence. However, on this occasion, Ofsted will not be taking any further action.

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy the outdoors daily. For example, staff caring for babies take them on walks in the immediate community. This enables babies to get fresh air and to have a rest or sleep if the wish. Babies enjoy the closeness of cuddles with familiar staff. They build strong bonds with staff and seek reassurance and security from them, which staff give readily. Toddlers enjoy singing sessions with staff and try desperately to join in the actions to songs such as 'Sleeping Bunnies'. They jump when it is time to pretend to wake up, and staff actively support the younger children by holding their hands. Staff are on hand to help children manage their feelings and resolve minor conflicts. They enable pre-school children to learn that it is their friend's turn to use the resources and they distract them to another activity. This supports children's awareness of sharing and of the needs of others.

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need to do better?

n The provider supports room leaders to plan effectively for the curriculum. However, there are a high number of temporary staff. The nursery staff do not readily share what they want children to learn from activities with these temporary staff. This means that although learning takes place, this is sometimes incidental and the implementation of the curriculum is not always effective. n Staff understand what children know and need to learn next. However, due to current staffing concerns, staff have large numbers of key children, which is overly burdensome. This also hinders them in sharing children's next steps in learning with temporary staff. This means that these staff do not know how to target their support for children's learning needs during their interactions. n Key persons know the children well and understand their levels of development. They recognise the importance of monitoring children's developmental progress

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need to do better?

to identify any emerging gaps in learning. This enables them to highlight, monitor and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities promptly. n Babies enjoy story times with staff, helping to choose the book and to turn the cardboard pages. They point to aspects that interest them on the colourful pages, which staff talk to them about. This increases children's enjoyment of

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need to do better?

19 June 2023 books and develops their speaking and listening skills. n Toddlers develop their small muscles well and begin to learn the skills they need to use single-handed tools. They use a table knife to cut their fruit at snack time and exclaim, 'I've done it'. Staff offer words of praise and celebration, building children's sense of achievement and confidence. Toddlers begin to use language to describe an apple, such as 'core', 'seeds' and' stalk'. This increases children's vocabulary and understanding. n Pre-school children understand the importance of being safe in the sun. For example, they remind their friends to wear a sun hat as otherwise they might get a headache from the sun. They tell them that without sun cream, they may get sunburn. This supports children's skills for the future. n The provider follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable. This includes required suitability checks for temporary staff. However,

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need to do better?

the provider does not always ensure that temporary staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities when interacting with children. This limits their ability to support children in their play and learning to make greater developmental progress. n Staff show a clear awareness of children's home lives and family make-up. For example, they talk with them about going to play rugby at the weekend and who went with them, including their family members. This supports children's awareness of the flow of a conversation, while supporting their memory recall skills. n Staff foster effective partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of the ways in which staff communicate with them, including through daily feedback and the online system. Parents commend the communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, they commented that staff shared suggestions for activities for children to complete at home to support their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a clear knowledge of child protection issues, including differing cultural practices and aspects such as domestic violence. They understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe and know how to refer any concerns that they may have about children or adults. The provider completes daily risk assessments of the nursery environment and staff minimise hazards during the day. Children learn to take risks in safe surroundings. They acquire the skills to manoeuvre their trikes down the slopes with care and receive gentle reminders from staff if needed.

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Due date

ensure temporary staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities 03/07/2023

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Due date

improve the key-person system to ensure that children's learning needs are shared with all staff and are not overly burdensome on room leaders 17/07/2023

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Due date

improve the balance of planned and challenging learning experiences and ensure that temporary staff are aware of the learning intentions for activities. 17/07/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY411555 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10298973 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 41 Number of children on roll 51 Name of registered person Future Schools Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01622 743286 Date of previous inspection 27 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Tiger Cubs Day Nursery registered in 2010. It operates from New Line Learning Academy, in Maidstone, Kent. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 40 weeks of the year. The provider employs 12 members of staff, of whom 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early years 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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider, spoke with staff and interacted with children. n Parents shared their views about the setting 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

19 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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