Banana Moon Colchester

Inspection of Banana Moon Colchester Oyster Court, St. Helens Lane, Colchester, Essex CO1 1TY

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children build strong relationships with their key persons, who readily greet them on arrival. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Staff are caring and nurturing and respond to children's needs. Children seek them out when they need comfort, demonstrating these bonds. Children show kindness to their friends. They share well and play cooperatively with the toys and resources.

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The provision is good

Staff have been successful in making changes to their approach to supporting children's behaviour. They have created spaces in the rooms for children to go to, away from busy areas to relax. Staff have developed a range of methods to begin to help children recognise and name their emotions. This has had a positive impact on the children. Staff help children to understand the routines of the day. They provide a timely reminder to children when it is nearly time to move to the next activity. This helps children to bring their play to a satisfactory end and prepares them for what comes next. As a result, children behave well and know what staff expect from them.

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The provision is good

Children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills. Babies learn to walk and move around as they use the low-level furniture to pull themselves up to a standing position. Older children explore the garden, climbing and balancing on tyres with support from staff.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have taken swift action to address the weaknesses raised at the last inspection. They have worked closely with the local authority and other professionals to improve the quality of their practice. The manager regularly observes staff and provides valuable feedback, highlighting their strengths and areas to develop. This means that staff continue to improve their knowledge and practice. n Staff gather information about each child before they start at the nursery. They use this information as a starting point to plan children's next steps. Overall, children are making good progress. However, on occasions, the quality of teaching is not yet consistent in helping to build on what children already know and can do. For example, during some adult-led activities, staff do not focus on the learning priorities of individual children. This means that some children lose interest, move on and miss out on valuable learning opportunities.

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need to do better?

n Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are becoming confident communicators and readily chat with visitors. Staff are good role models. They use clear speech and repeat simple words and phrases to secure children's understanding. Staff working with younger children introduce songs naming the actions and sounds.

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need to do better?

27 September 2023 n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) uses her knowledge and experience to support children who need extra help. She shares her skills with the rest of the staff team to support their professional development to further help the children make good progress. The SENCo has introduced specific methods of teaching, such as picture communication cards, to support children's progress. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are consistently supported and make good progress. n Leaders plan the organisation of mealtimes to support children's personal and social development. However, they do not take into consideration the emotional needs of younger children, who, at times, become overwhelmed by the busy environment. Furthermore, the layout during mealtimes limits the ability of older children to become more independent. n Staff feel well supported by the management team. The additional support,

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need to do better?

guidance and training have boosted their confidence and supported their practice to raise the quality of education and care for children. For instance, staff in the baby room explain how this has made them consider more closely how to adapt activities to suit all children. n Partnerships with parents are strong. They talk positively about their children's experiences and comment that their children have formed close bonds with staff. As a result, they feel that their children have settled quickly and are making good progress. The manager recognises the needs of the families. She has set up a children's clothes and food bank to ensure that families have access to essential supplies that they may need.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard the children in their care. Staff have a heightened awareness of the indicators that may mean a child is at risk of harm. Staff attend regular training in child protection. They understand the risks posed to children by exposure to extreme views or practices. Staff know when and how to report concerns they have about a child in their care or about a colleague. Robust recruitment processes are in place to ensure that those working with children are suitable to do so.

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should:

n strengthen the quality of staff's teaching to consistently help build on what individual children know and can do to promote children's learning further n refine the organisation of mealtimes to further support children's independence and personal, social and emotional development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY496549 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10311208 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 106 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Go Leisure Colchester Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01206549946 Date of previous inspection 12 June 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Banana Moon Colchester registered in 2016 and is situated in Colchester, Essex. It is privately owned and operates under a franchise organisation. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection 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

27 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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