Unicorn Day Nursery

Inspection of Unicorn Day Nursery 131 High Street, Princes End, TIPTON, West Midlands DY4 9JE

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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

Children are happy and settled. They enjoy attending this welcoming, inclusive, and friendly nursery. When children arrive at the start of the session they happily separate from their parents and carers, and quickly settle to their chosen play. Staff are kind and caring. This helps children to form a strong sense of belonging and develop close relationships with staff and their peers. Staff offer children frequent praise and encouragement. This helps children to behave well. They learn to share and take turns with toys and resources.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to be independent. Babies are encouraged to learn to feed themselves at snack and mealtimes. Older children happily enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as setting the table for lunchtime. Children of all ages make independent choices about where and what they would like to play with. Babies enjoy practising their physical skills as they climb up and down the indoor climbing frame. Older children learn to negotiate space outdoors as they ride on wheeled toys. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning. They are developing the skills that they need to prepare them for their eventual move to school.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching is good. Staff have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. They use their good knowledge of children to structure a curriculum that they know children will enjoy and readily join in with. However, staff do not always focus enough on children's identified next steps for learning in order to help them to make even better progress in their learning. n Support for children with SEND is a particular strength of the nursery. Staff sensitively meet the individual needs of the children, with respect and kindness. They recognise when children need focused one-to-one time and when they are able to cope independently in group situations. This helps children to feel safe and secure. The special educational needs coordinator and manager work well with other professionals and parents. This means that children benefit from early intervention and any gaps in their learning are closing.

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need to do better?

n Children's communication and language skills are developing well. Staff frequently read stories to children, encourage them to join in with songs and rhymes, and engage in meaningful discussions. Children are confident communicators and readily engage with visitors to the nursery. They are confident to ask questions when they do not understand something. Staff respond well, giving age-appropriate answers that help children to learn and understand new things. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents are happy with the progress that

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need to do better?

24 October 2023 their children have made since starting at the nursery. Staff share regular information about how children are progressing and what they have been experiencing at nursery. This is done through sharing assessments, daily verbal feedback, and by sharing information via the online system. However, staff do not always seek enough information about what children already know and can do when they first start, in order to help them to fully plan for children's learning needs from the very beginning. n Staff are well supported in their roles. They benefit from regular and effective training and supervision sessions that help them to build on their already good knowledge and skills. Staff speak highly of the support that they receive from management. n Children's good health is promoted well. Staff remind children of the importance of washing their hands before meals and snacks. Children are provided with

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need to do better?

healthy, nutritious, and balanced meals that are prepared on site. These are adapted to meet the individual dietary needs of children. n Children behave well. Staff act as good role models and offer children gentle and age-appropriate reminders, such as using 'walking feet' when indoors. Children readily say 'please' and 'thank you' when they are served fruit at snack time. Staff help children to understand how their behaviour may affect other people's feelings.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They are confident with the procedures to follow to report concerns about children's welfare both within the nursery and to external agencies if needed. Staff supervise children well. They are deployed effectively to meet the emotional needs of children and to keep them safe. Managers carry out robust recruitment procedures to ensure that adults working with children have been checked for their suitability. Regular risk assessments are completed to ensure that the environment and resources remain safe for children to use.

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should:

n enhance the planning of some activities to more frequently focus on children's identified next steps for learning n seek more-detailed information from parents when children first start at the nursery about what children already know and can do, to plan more precisely for children's learning from the very beginning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY457677 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 10315376 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 60 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Sandwell Supply Nursery Services Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 557 0011 Date of previous inspection 13 February 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Unicorn Day Nursery registered in 2012 and is located in Tipton. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 8am until 5pm. 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 setting. n The inspector completed a learning walk with the manager to understand how the setting operates and how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She spoke to parents and carers during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

24 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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