The Little Lotus Nursery

Inspection of The Little Lotus Nursery 120-126, Buckingham Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 5QR

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are very happy, behave well and develop a positive attitude to their learning at this small and friendly nursery. They form positive relationships with their key person and everyone in the staff team. Staff are caring and sensitive. They adapt settling-in procedures to meet children's individual needs, such as those who have had little or no social contact due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's emotional development well. For example, they encourage children to talk about how they feel. Staff give children choices to work through their feelings, such as offering quiet time in the comfy 'happy place'. Children confidently choose what to play with and learn. Staff place a key focus on developing children's social skills and their communication and language.

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The provision is good

Staff have recently enhanced the learning environments to improve children's learning and experiences. Children eagerly engage in the well-organised activities staff provide, indoors and outdoors. This enables children to practise a variety of skills throughout the day. For example, children enjoy regular yoga sessions and learn to balance on a see-saw. This helps to promote children's self-confidence and self-esteem.

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need to do better?

n Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. They use cutlery to eat at lunchtime, throw balls into a hoop and use paintbrushes and pencils to make marks. Staff help children to begin to understand how their bodies work. For instance, children know they need to rest to recover after running around in the garden. Children know they need to drink water to rehydrate. Staff provide healthy and balanced snacks for children. They ensure that children's dietary needs are met and implement good hygiene procedures. n Staff support and monitor children well. For example, staff check that children are dry and comfortable following messy play. Children use their imaginations when making pretend meals in the role-play area. They delight in sharing a 'cookie crumble' and use a variety of tools to scoop, chop and stir. Staff encourage children to become independent through consistent daily routines.

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need to do better?

For instance, they learn to fill their own water bottles and clear away their plates after lunch. n Partnerships with parents and other professionals are very effective. Staff work closely with families and other agencies to ensure that there is a joined-up approach to children's learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from highly personalised support. For example, staff ensure that external teachers working with children understand their current fascinations to help to keep them engaged. Consequently, all children make

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need to do better?

28 September 2023 good progress in their learning and development. n Overall, staff position storybooks carefully in the nursery. Children happily present them to staff, confident they will be read to. Staff make sure that they read clearly and slowly so that children can join in. They extend children's knowledge as they read by asking questions and introducing new vocabulary. This helps children to develop a love of books. However, there is not a wide range of books easily available for all ages and interests of the children, including cause-and-effect books for toddlers and books that promote imagination for older children. This restricts some younger children's ability to learn about print and illustrations in books and older children to link written words and their meaning. n The dedicated provider and manager have an accurate overview of the nursery. They have identified positive actions to help to drive further improvements and

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need to do better?

build even stronger relations in the local community. Staff are well supported. They engage in regular discussions about children's progress and share ideas for activities. They have good opportunities to access training. Staff say they feel valued and that their ongoing professional development and well-being are considered during supervision sessions. n Generally, staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the newly adapted early years curriculum. They use children's interests to guide their planning to build on what children know and can do. However, on occasion, some staff do not focus on the order in which children learn new skills to ensure their learning is sequenced effectively throughout the nursery. The manager is still in the early stages of coaching staff to ensure their interactions consistently help all children reach their full potential.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider and manager understand their responsibilities to protect children. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection, including the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child or a colleague. Staff supervise children well and are vigilant when they move from one area to another. For example, staff count children as they go to play outside and update the register at different times during the day to check that all children are present. Staff use risk assessments to help to identify hazards and put in place preventative measures. For instance, the manager and staff check the environment throughout the day to make sure that it is safe. There are effective recruitment procedures in place to ensure that all adults working with children are suitable to do so.

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should:

28 September 2023 n build on the existing systems in place to coach and support staff, to enhance practice across the nursery to ensure that the new curriculum is implemented fully n enhance the opportunities that children have to learn that print carries meaning, to further extend their interest in literacy.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2711736 Local authority Newcastle upon Tyne Inspection number 10310429 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 19 Name of registered person The Little Lotus Nursery

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reference number

Telephone number 07405 742618 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Little Lotus Nursery registered in November 2022 and is situated in the Arthur's Hill area of Newcastle Upon Tyne. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, during term times. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3.30pm. There are four members of staff who work with children. Of these, the manager holds an early years qualification at level 5, and two further staff hold relevant qualifications at level 3. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with staff and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the nursery. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the early years curriculum. The manager showed the inspector the premises that children use and discussed how they ensure that they are safe and suitable. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held a discussion with the nominated individual and the manager in relation to the leadership and management of the nursery. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of recruitment, staff's qualifications and their suitability to work with children. n The inspector spoke to parents and obtained their feedback. She spoke with

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Inspection activities

staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector discussed how staff support children with SEND with the manager and two members of the local authority's early years SEND outreach service.

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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

28 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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