Little Explorers Nursery

Inspection of Little Explorers Nursery Worlds End Pavilion, Burgess Hill RH15 0QJ

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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

Staff create a learning environment that enables children to engage in an activity of their choosing while also supporting their ongoing development. For instance, when children choose to make play dough hedgehogs, staff successfully build on this to extend children's vocabulary. Staff talk about the different size and lengths of the hedgehog 'spikes', describing them as 'long', 'short', 'wide' and 'thin'. This enhances children's understanding of mathematical concepts.

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The provision is good

Staff ensure that they deploy themselves effectively, which helps children to benefit from the many learning opportunities available to them. For instance, staff provide children with lots of encouragement and support as they try to walk across a row of wooden blocks. This helps children to persevere with their task and promotes their physical development.

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The provision is good

Generally, children behave well and demonstrate friendly behaviour. For instance, children respond with enthusiasm when their friends ask them to look at what they have made. When children need support to regulate their feelings, staff respond promptly and effectively. They speak calmly to children and explain the impact that their behaviour has on others, which helps children to develop an understanding of what is expected of them. Staff also guide children to consider other options so they can learn to resolve their own conflicts. This promotes positive behaviour.

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need to do better?

n The manager provides staff with effective coaching and mentoring to enhance their professional development. She is able to recognise strengths in staff practice, as well as areas where they might need further support, in order to improve their practice and raise the quality of teaching. The manager encourages staff to complete additional training to help them when they take on new roles within the nursery. This helps to enhance their understanding of how to meet children's individual needs. n Staff have good knowledge of their key children. They gather appropriate information before children start so they can help them to settle. Staff use what they know about children to identify where they are in their development and to plan for children's next steps. This enables staff to support children with their ongoing progress. However, at times, staff do not have a fully consistent approach to supporting younger children's communication and language skills.

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need to do better?

For example, they do not consider the impact that leaving children with their dummies for long periods may have on their speech development. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from effective strategies to support them to make progress in their development. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) works in

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need to do better?

23 October 2023 partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure that support is consistent for children. She identifies children's interests in order to design a curriculum that encourages children with SEND to participate in their learning environment. For instance, when children focus their attention on a particular resource, the SENDCo shows them different ways that they can be used. n Staff are vigilant at ensuring that children's self-care needs are being met. For instance, they ensure that children's faces are kept clean, particularly when they have dirty noses. Staff use soft flannels when they notice that children have sore noses, which demonstrates that they are sensitive to children's needs. However, at times, staff do not give children consistent messages about good hygiene routines. For example, on occasion, they use the same flannel on more than one child. This does not support children to develop an understanding of how to

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need to do better?

manage their own health needs. n Leaders have carefully considered ways to improve the arrangements for mealtimes. As such, children are encouraged to serve their own food, feed themselves with cutlery, and take their finished plates over to the kitchen. This helps children to develop the independence skills they need when they start school. n Parents are very happy with the setting and appreciate the attentive support that staff give to their children. They are given feedback through verbal handovers and online communications. This informs them of their child's day and next steps. Staff work with parents to ensure that information is shared appropriately. This helps to keep everyone informed so they can provide the appropriate support for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have good safeguarding knowledge. They recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse, and they know the procedures to follow to raise concerns. Staff ensure that they communicate between each other when children move between the indoor and outdoor space. This ensures that staff know where children are at all times so that they can supervise them effectively. Staff are happy working at the setting and feel supported by leaders. They would feel confident raising concerns with leaders, and this helps to keep children safe.

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should:

n support staff to develop a more consistent approach to encouraging younger children's developing language skills n strengthen staff practice so that children benefit from more consistent messages about good hygiene routines.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY553025 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10313316 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 25 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person MKM Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01444 241909 Date of previous inspection 28 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Nursery registered in 2014 and re-registered in 2017 due to a change in company status. The nursery operates from Worlds End Pavilion, in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. It is open each weekday, from 7.30am to 5.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. A team of 12 staff work with the children, nine of whom hold recognised early years qualifications. The nursery owner holds an early years degree. Funding is accepted for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 nursery. n The manager completed a learning walk of the nursery with the inspector and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The SENDCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity.

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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

23 October 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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