Heathside Day Nursery

Inspection of Heathside Day Nursery Heath Road South, Weston, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 4QR

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Leaders have worked with staff and other agencies to make the required improvements in the setting. The new manager has created a sequenced and exciting curriculum for all children. Staff have attended curriculum training and accessed other useful courses, such as supporting children's communication, language and thinking skills. As a result, the quality of education is much improved and outcomes for children are good. Staff now ask children more open-ended questions as they play and interact with them. In addition, they understand that they need to give children time to think and respond. As a result of this, children are confident communicators who enjoy taking part in discussions with the staff and their friends.

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The provision is good

Staff take time to get to know children and their parents when they first join the setting. They gather lots of useful information about children and their families. Staff use this information to help them understand and plan for children's individual care and learning needs. As a result, children are supported to make good progress from the outset.

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The provision is good

Staffing arrangements in the setting are now more settled. As a result, children are able to build secure attachments to key members of staff. All children, including children who are new to the setting, are happy and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff are good role models who have high expectations for children's behaviour. Their simple yet consistent reminders about conduct, alongside an abundance of praise, help children to understand their own and other's feelings. Furthermore, this builds children's confidence and helps them feel a sense of pride in their achievements.

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need to do better?

n Due to new and improved arrangements for staff supervision and coaching, the implementation of the curriculum is now much better. This means all children, including children who are funded, make good progress across all areas of learning. Staff will benefit from even more incisive feedback and timely monitoring of their teaching practice, to enable consistently high standards of educational practice across the team. n Staff model language well and engage in meaningful discussions with children. For example, staff respond to babies' babbles and encourage them to repeat single words. Staff introduce new words to toddlers, such as 'red car' and 'yellow lion' as they read their favourite books. Pre-school children confidently talk in a group. For instance, they vividly recall and talk about their home life experiences. n Staff regularly observe children. They use what they know about children to plan

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need to do better?

12 September 2023 a broad range of activities and experiences that are linked to their interests and support their individual next steps. However, some staff do not share assessment information in a timely way when children move to a new room in the setting. This does not best support children's continued progress at this time. That said, other routine assessments carried out by staff are timely and, as a result, children's learning and development are overall, supported. n Overall, staff purposefully interact with the children. For example, babies are encouraged to develop their core-muscle skills as they practise sitting up. Toddlers refine their small-muscle skills as they copy staff and make snips in dough with scissors. Staff challenge older children to predict how many scoops of water it will take to fill a large jug. However, staff do not always reshape and adapt activities to suit all children's preferred way of learning. As a result, some

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need to do better?

children become frustrated and their learning is momentarily interrupted. n Staff are good role models. As a result, children develop good manners and respect for others from an early age. Children say please, thank you and excuse me without any prompting from the staff. Additionally, children are kind and extremely helpful. Staff support children to become increasingly independent. For example, they encourage children to serve themselves meals, pour their own drinks and have a go at placing on aprons and coats. n Children have access to a large and well-equipped outdoor area. This provides many opportunities for them to practise their physical skills. For example, children confidently scale the climbing frame, ride bicycles and scooters, and they have lots of space to run freely. Additionally, children learn about wildlife as they safely observe and talk about the wild rabbits with the staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding and child protection. This includes what they need to do should they have concerns about a colleague or a member of the senior leadership team. The recruitment and vetting of staff are robust. The setting is safe and secure. Staff understand and implement the setting's policies and procedures well. As a result, children play and learn in a safe environment, both indoors and outdoors.

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should:

n continue to embed the new arrangements for staff coaching to raise the quality of educational practice to the highest levels across the team n support staff to shape and adapt activities in a timely way to better support children's preferred ways to learn n strengthen information sharing as children move through rooms in the setting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 303439 Local authority Halton Inspection number 10286321 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 60 Name of registered person Network Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01928 560243 Date of previous inspection 8 March 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Heathside Day Nursery registered in 1998. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 or above. The manager holds early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery is in receipt of funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed and continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken this 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 spoke to the children, to find out about their time at the setting. n The inspector spoke to the staff throughout the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to the provider, manager and area manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector spoke to several parents and took account of their views.

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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 September 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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