Owlets

Inspection of Owlets Exeter College, Prince Of Wales Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4PL

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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

Leaders and staff promote children's safety and well-being effectively. They build secure relationships with children and take their responsibilities to keep children safe very seriously, such as through conducting regular head counts. Wherever possible, key persons tend to the children's individual care needs. All children, including new babies, settle very quickly and feel emotionally secure. They arrive happily and are greeted warmly by the kind and caring staff. Staff are positive role models and support children to listen, follow instructions and develop good social skills.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff plan a broad and ambitious curriculum that takes account of children's prior learning. Overall, children receive good support to help them build on their knowledge and skills and prepare them well for the next stage of their learning. Children are keen to take part in activities and proudly and confidently show their work to the staff, who praise them with enthusiasm. Babies are particularly happy and contented. They explore the play areas and develop their imagination through pretend play. Staff tend to their needs gently and sensitively. Toddlers develop a love of stories. They often take books to adults to request they read to them, and they listen with interest, talking excitedly about the pictures. Pre-school children benefit from lots of opportunities, and support and encouragement from staff, to develop their physical skills, particularly outside. All children make good progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff are committed to providing high-quality care and education for all children. Staff know the children well. They assess their development accurately and identify appropriate next steps in learning. Staff are quick to recognise when children may benefit from additional support. They form strong partnerships with parents and other professionals to meet the children's individual needs. n Staff follow children's interests and use these, along with information from their observations and assessments, to plan enjoyable learning experiences. Children are inquisitive and curious. Pre-school children ask what unfamiliar words mean, such as 'hydration', and babies explore the sounds that different instruments make with interest. During busier times, staff do not consistently support the quieter and less confident children as well as they could to build further on their knowledge and skills. n Leaders provide training opportunities for staff to promote their professional

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need to do better?

development. However, leaders do not monitor staff's practice as effectively as they could to support staff to deliver the curriculum to the highest possible quality.

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need to do better?

7 November 2023 n Staff support children's communication skills effectively and extend their vocabulary. For example, they use signing alongside speech, burst into song spontaneously while playing with children to model language and introduce new words when they interact with children. n Staff give children the time, space, encouragement and confidence to follow their own ideas. For example, pre-school children select the craft resources they want to use to make a poppy and are exceptionally proud of their finished creations. Toddlers dance and sing along to music. They develop their strength, balance and coordination to move in different ways. n Staff promote children's literacy development well. Pre-school children have good opportunities to practise their early ready and writing skills. They match letters to sounds, begin to recognise written names and write party invitations as part of their imaginative games.

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need to do better?

n Children play alongside and with each other cooperatively. Pre-school children work together to solve problems independently. For example, they realise they can manage the tape dispenser more easily if someone holds it still while another child pulls the tape. n Staff have completed behaviour management training and have used some of the strategies they learned to help children to understand right from wrong. This has had a positive impact on children. Their behaviour is good, such as when helping staff and one another to tidy away the toys. n Parents praise the setting highly. They value the sensitivity and flexibility that staff provide when children move up to the next room. Parents feel well informed about their children's experiences. Staff work well with parents to provide consistency in children's care and learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe. They are reflective and conduct ongoing risk assessments of the premises to ensure they are safe and secure for children. Leaders and staff show a good knowledge of child protection matters and know how to respond promptly and appropriately when concerns arise about the welfare of a child. Staff deploy themselves effectively to enable them to supervise children appropriately. All staff are first-aid trained, which allows them to respond swiftly to any accidents and incidents.

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should:

n strengthen the monitoring, support and coaching for staff to help them to deliver all aspects of the curriculum to the highest quality to extend the children's learning even further

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should:

7 November 2023 n provide more consistent and targeted support for the quieter and less confident children during busier times to engage them more effectively in their learning and build further on their skills and knowledge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2542796 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10316695 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 104 Number of children on roll 92 Name of registered person Exeter College

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reference number

Telephone number 01392 400514 Date of previous inspection 9 December 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Owlets registered in 2019 and is located in Exeter, Devon. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year, closing over the Christmas period in line with Exeter College's academic year. It provides free early education funding for children aged two, three and four years old. There are 36 members of staff, most of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications from level 2 to level 7.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Sarah Madge Michelle Heimsoth

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspectors held discussions with leaders during the inspection and in a scheduled meeting. n The manager took the inspectors on a learning walk of the nursery to explain how the curriculum is planned and organised. n The inspectors observed children and staff, inside and outdoors. n An inspector carried out joint observations with the manager to reflect on the quality of education. n An inspector looked at relevant documentation, including evidence of staff's suitability to work with children. n The inspectors spoke to parents, staff and children during the inspection to take account of their views and experiences.

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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

7 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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