Sunflower Maunds

Inspection of Sunflower Maunds Parringdon Road, Harlow, Essex CM18 7RG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children do not receive a high-quality education due to weaknesses in the provider's knowledge and skills. The provider has failed to design an effective curriculum or ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to support children in their learning. As a result, staff do not consistently implement a curriculum that is focused on children's needs and next steps in learning. Staff are polite and kind towards the children, but their interactions do not stimulate curiosity, interest, or excitement. This limits the opportunities that children, including those with funded places and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have to make good progress in their learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Despite this, children are confident and happy in the setting and behave well. Staff have implemented strategies to help the children share with one another. This helps the children form friendships and play harmoniously with each other. Children are kind, considerate, and polite to one another. Staff offer comfort to children when needed and children are confident to seek staff out if they need support or reassurance. Staff know the children well and this ensures they recognise when a child may not be well and can, therefore, act accordingly in the best interests of the child.

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need to do better?

n The manager is reflective and aware that improvements need to be made to the setting. She has considered how to do this and has ideas she wants to implement. However, these ideas are yet to be put into practice. As a result, the setting has not embedded the recommendations from the previous inspection or made positive progress. n The provider does not have a secure understanding of how children develop and learn. They have not ensured that staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to assess and plan for children's individual learning needs. This means children do not benefit from a curriculum that is tailored to their individual learning needs. Staff do not plan purposeful and sequential learning opportunities for children to help them build on what they already know and can do. Children show an interest in the activities on offer and remain engaged in them for periods of time. However, these activities are not designed with

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need to do better?

children's next steps in mind. This means that learning is incidental rather than purposefully planned to build on children's skills and knowledge over time. This does not help all children reach their full potential. n Staff provide basic information when children play and ask them simple questions. However, they do not regularly model a wide range of vocabulary or use effective questions to encourage children's critical thinking. This is despite the manager recognising that some of the children require additional support

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need to do better?

13 November 2023 with their communication and language skills. Staff interactions do not offer children appropriate support and challenge to extend their learning and move them to the next level of their development. As a result, children are not making the best possible progress. n The provider can identify areas for improvement in staff practice. However, her arrangements for the supervision and coaching of staff are not yet effective. As a result, areas for development are not effectively communicated to the staff. They are not being appropriately supported to make the improvements needed to raise the quality of teaching to a higher level. This hinders children's progress. n Children's independence is promoted. Children are taught skills such as nose wiping and finding and putting their own wellington boots on. The manager has plans to extend this further by allowing children to be more independent at

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need to do better?

mealtimes. The environment is set up so the children can self-select toys and resources they would like to access throughout the day. As a result, children show good levels of independence and confidence. n Staff form positive partnerships with parents who are happy with the setting. Parents report their children are happy to come to the nursery. They feel the communication at the nursery is effective. They are kept informed of matters regarding their children. They are given support when needed. For example, staff support parents when children are potty training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff team understand their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. They know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's well-being. They know how to report concerns to an appropriate professional. Staff are aware of safeguarding issues, such as female genital mutilation and county lines. Children are well supervised, in both the indoor and outdoor environment, to ensure they are safe.

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Due date

ensure there is an ambitious curriculum based on children's learning and development needs that is implemented through planned, purposeful activities and experiences 30/11/2023

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Due date

13 November 2023 strengthen the quality of staff interactions and teaching to ensure children have appropriate support and challenge that promotes and extends their learning 30/11/2023

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Due date

provide effective supervision, training and support to ensure staff have the necessary skills to carry out their roles effectively. 30/11/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY420530 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10318080 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 18 Name of registered person Great Parndon Community Association

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reference number

Telephone number 01279 866386 Date of previous inspection 27 March 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Sunflower Maunds registered in 2011. The pre-school employs four members of staff, two of whom hold an appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting has 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 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 talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 carried out a joint observation of a craft activity with the manager. 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

13 November 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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