Serendipity Nursery

Inspection of Serendipity Nursery The Kaleidoscope Children's Centre, 27 Riverview Court, Vange, Basildon, Essex SS16 4NF

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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

Key persons for the individual children greet parents and children in the nursery foyer. They welcome the children in and ask how they are. This provides a good opportunity for parents to share any relevant information from home with their child's key person. Children wave goodbye to their parents and carers and are keen to start their nursery day. Key persons guide them to their rooms, encouraging children to find their photograph and name and place it on a peg of their choice. This gives children a good sense of belonging. Once in their rooms, children find their friends and quickly become engrossed in play.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and show respect for each other. Staff help them to understand the nursery's 'golden rules' by gently reminding them to use their 'kind hands' and words. Children develop good levels of independence from a young age. Staff encourage them to make choices over their play and to help with some of the routine tasks, such as clearing up before lunch and serving their own meal. Staff have clear expectations for each child and help them to reach their full potential through well planned and interesting activities and resources.

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need to do better?

n There is a strong management team in place, consisting of the manager and deputy who work closely with the company directors and managers from the sister settings. There are clearly defined roles to enable managers to fulfil their responsibilities effectively. The manager places great emphasis on supporting her staff team to help them to feel valued and respected. n Parents spoken to and those who contribute towards the nursery feedback in written form, state that they are very happy with the way their children are cared for. They comment on how well the key persons know their children and the effective communication between them. This enables parents to feel very much involved in their child's learning. n Staff and managers work well with other agencies to help to support all children and families. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. All additional

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need to do better?

funding is put to very good use to provide appropriate resources to help all children to reach their full potential. For example, additional outdoor play equipment helps children to make good progress in their physical abilities and benefits those children who learn better in an outdoor environment. n Babies benefit from being cared for by staff who know them really well. They enjoy comforting hugs when needed and are well supported to move safely around the baby room, accessing an interesting selection of age-appropriate toys and resources. Staff use effective strategies to enhance babies' language skills and help them to begin using words to communicate.

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need to do better?

31 August 2023 n Children enjoy making use of the nursery garden, where they manoeuvre up and down the slopes. They help to plant and tend the garden areas. Children develop good physical skills using the physical play equipment, enabling them to confidently climb, balance and explore. n Managers and staff are in the process of introducing a new curriculum, which the manager hopes will further strengthen the already effective learning paths for individual children. The nursery curriculum already places good emphasis on developing strong and independent children. Staff currently use their planning to build on children's prior experiences and knowledge. n Staff working with older children encourage them to develop their communication and language skills through a range of strategies, including asking children questions to test their thinking. On occasions, in their eagerness to support children's play, staff do not give them enough time to respond to

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need to do better?

questions or to express their ideas. n Staff speak highly of the management structure and comment that they are well supported through effective supervision and coaching. They are able to access a range of online training to help them to further enhance their knowledge. However, the management team have not fully established ways to help staff deepen their knowledge of how to deliver the curriculum content, that enriches the learning experiences of children to a high level.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have secure knowledge of safeguarding. They regularly update their understanding of the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child in their care. All staff know what action to take if they have concerns about the behaviour of another adult. They all demonstrate a secure understanding of the nursery policies. For example, they know about safeguarding, the use of mobile phones and cameras, and smoking and the use of vapes on the nursery premises. All staff know how to report their concerns outside of the nursery management if they felt that they were not being listened to.

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should:

n coach staff in strengthening their questioning techniques, to encourage all children to express their thoughts and ideas and extend their learning n build on the already good practice and seek further ways to help all staff deepen their knowledge of how to deliver the curriculum content.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY469364 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10308830 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 102 Name of registered person Serendipity Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01268559633 Date of previous inspection 21 June 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Serendipity Nursery registered in 2014. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 7pm. 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 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 inspector viewed all areas of the nursery and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about what they want children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Parents provided the inspector with oral and written feedback. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and 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

31 August 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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