Jack in a Box Nursery

Inspection of Jack in a Box Nursery Aycliffe CP School, St. Davids Avenue, Dover, Kent CT17 9HJ

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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 are very excited to enter the setting. They separate from parents straightaway and come running through the door into the calming room. Staff have made recent changes to the layout and design of the room to make it more of a home-from-home environment for children. This helps them to settle quickly and become engrossed in their learning.

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The provision is good

Children display good social skills. They willingly help one another throughout the day. For example, at snack time, children kindly pour each other drinks of milk. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour, praising them when they are helpful. This helps to encourage children's positive behaviour. Children happily play together and have fun as they create their own games.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to develop their early writing skills. They provide a variety of mark-making resources, which children access freely. For example, children show an interest in drawing lines on the garden floor using chalks. Staff recognise this and join in with the children's drawing. Staff draw spiders, which encourages children to excitedly count the correct number of legs. Staff's high-quality support allows children to deepen their knowledge in specific areas of learning.

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need to do better?

n The manager has created a meaningful curriculum based on each child's needs. Staff carefully follow children's unique interests and approaches to play to plan activities they will enjoy. For example, staff provide resources that allow children to carry and move items from one place to another. This helps children to make good progress and develop positive attitudes towards their learning. n Staff use the outdoor space effectively to teach children about how things grow. They have planted a variety of different vegetables and flowers, such as peppers and sunflowers. Children show pride in their achievements as they confidently name the plants. These experiences give children a sense of responsibility as they learn how to care for plants and grow fresh, healthy foods to eat. n Overall, staff help children to develop their communication skills. They use good questioning to help children reflect on and talk about events in the past. For

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need to do better?

example, staff ask children what they had for breakfast. This encourages children to think about their own experiences and learn about others. However, during snack time, staff do not always follow the same approach when communicating with children who need support to develop their language. Therefore, at these times, not all children have the same opportunities to develop their thinking skills and share their ideas. n Children develop their physical skills. They become engrossed in working together to build towers. Children show high levels of enjoyment, developing

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need to do better?

12 July 2023 their strength, balance and core muscles as they climb and jump. Staff support children to learn about safety. For example, as children climb up high, they ask them to think about how safe they are. Children are learning how to manage risks safely. n Overall, children behave well. They listen and respond positively to staff's instructions, such as finding their coats and lining up at the door. However, at times, staff are inconsistent in their expectations of children's self-care skills. This does not help all children learn to complete simple self-care tasks confidently. For example, not all children hang up their coats, and some attempt to sit at the table before washing their hands. n Communication and partnership with parents are key strengths of the nursery. The manager is dedicated to helping parents understand ways in which to extend and support children's learning. She organises home learning bags and

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need to do better?

provides books for children to use at home. This helps to ensure that children continue to make good progress during the summer holidays. n The small team of staff works well together, and morale is high. Staff talk about how much they enjoy their role, and they feel well supported by the manager. The manager acts as a good role model, encouraging staff to regularly engage in reflection tasks. This allows them to identify areas to improve on, enhancing the quality of the experiences provided for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have secure safeguarding knowledge. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's safety and welfare. Staff recognise the potential signs and symptoms of abuse and know what to do if a child makes a disclosure. The manager knows who to contact if an allegation is made against herself or a member of staff. The manager works closely with external agencies, such as social services, to ensure children are protected from harm. The manager has robust recruitment procedures to ensure that suitability checks are carried out before new staff work with children.

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should:

n enhance opportunities for all children to fully extend their speech, language and vocabulary, particularly children with delayed speech n support staff to further develop children's self-care skills and help them take more responsibility for themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY287295 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10301547 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 20 Number of children on roll 19 Name of registered person Allen, Michelle Sandra

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reference number

Telephone number 01304448384 Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Jack in a Box Nursery registered in 2004 and is located in Dover, Kent. The setting operates from a room inside a children's centre on the grounds of Aycliffe Primary School. The setting is open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The setting employs four members of staff, two of whom hold a level 4 qualification, one holds a level 3 qualification and one is working towards a level 3 qualification. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years old.

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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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during snack time. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

12 July 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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