Starlings Nursery

Inspection of Starlings Nursery Hertford Infant & Nursery School, Hertford Road, Brighton BN1 7GF

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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

The nursery offers an inviting, engaging and stimulating environment, both inside and outside. Children arrive with confidence and excitement. They greet staff with enthusiasm and quickly settle into activities. Staff know the children who may need extra support. Children approach staff readily when they need more reassurance. This helps children to feel valued and supports their emotional well-being effectively.

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The provision is good

Staff have adapted their curriculum appropriately to take account of what children need. They recognise that some children find managing their emotions more difficult. Leaders have prioritised the support staff offer children. Funding has been used wisely to purchase specialist resources to help children recognise how to cope with their feelings and regulate their behaviour. Staff have also completed training in how to interact with children and gently guide them to feel calm and engage positively with others. These measures work well and enable children to quickly refocus and benefit from the wide range of exciting activities available.

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The provision is good

Teaching is personal to every child. Staff know the children particularly well. They quickly recognise when some children might need extra help and work closely with other professionals, such as health visitors, to agree positive strategies. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is particularly good. Specialist advisors have also commended the work that leaders and staff do in supporting inclusion within the the nursery.

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need to do better?

n The nursery owner and senior leadership team work tirelessly to ensure that the setting's curriculum is relevant to what every child needs to learn. Staff assess children accurately and clearly identify what children need to learn to help them become ready for starting school. Since the pandemic, leaders have recognised that some children need extra support when starting nursery and separating from parents. Staff work sensitively with all families to make sure every child follows a routine that is personal to them and helps them feel at ease quickly. n Staff interact with children closely and offer gentle support. They introduce new words to children as they play and help children to hear the rhyming patterns in some words, which children excitedly repeat and use freely in their play. Group times are managed well, so every child can take part. Children delight in responding in their own way to the morning register, and staff value every child's

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need to do better?

efforts and input. n Every child is valued for their unique qualities. Staff welcome every child and family into the nursery and take time to get to know them individually. Staff plan the nursery curriculum well to take account of the cultural diversity of children,

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need to do better?

9 November 2023 staff and families. For example, children delight in learning about colours and patterns as they make Rangoli lanterns in preparation for their Diwali celebrations. n Children develop a very positive attitude towards learning. Staff create a vibrant and exciting learning environment. Children develop their love of books and stories as they snuggle up with a staff member in the 'Book Nook'. They play imaginatively with their friends in the well-resourced 'Starling house' and 'Starling office' role-play areas, which are inspiring and used well by the children. n Staff prepare children well for starting school. Leaders make full use of the host school's facilities, and children make regular trips into the school building. They become familiar with the Reception class teachers, who visit regularly and form good links with the nursery team. This helps children to feel emotionally secure within the environment and contributes well towards how easily children transfer

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need to do better?

on to school. n Staff know the children well and plan activities that build on their learning. For example, children thoroughly enjoy making their own play dough. Staff use this activity well. They help children recall the process and practise a range of physical skills, such as pouring, stirring and kneading. Overall, teaching is good. However, very occasionally, staff respond too quickly when they have asked children a question. This does not allow children sufficient time to think for themselves and recall what they already know.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is given the highest priority. Staff are very knowledgeable about local safeguarding procedures and know exactly what to do if they have concerns about a child or family. Leaders make sure that robust recruitment procedures are followed when new staff are employed. Ongoing suitability checks mean that any concerns about the staff team are quickly followed up, if needed. Staff are vigilant in supervising children closely. They check the premises daily and make sure that children learn how to keep themselves safe when using specific tools and equipment. For example, younger children learn how to handle scissors carefully to prevent injuries occurring, as staff teach them how to do this.

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should:

n improve teaching further to allow children more opportunities to reflect on what they already know and respond to questions in greater detail.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2639211 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10301529 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Starlings Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07472435683 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Starlings Nursery has been registered since 2021. It is based within Hertford Infant School, in Brighton, and is open Monday to Friday, from 8.45am to 4.15pm, during term time only. A team of six staff work with the children. Of these, two staff hold qualified teacher status and early years professional status. Two staff are qualified to level 3, and one staff member is qualified to level 2. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the nursery owner and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector spoke with the nursery owner and senior members of staff to evaluate the leadership and management of the nursery. n The nursery manager completed a learning walk with the inspector and explained how the early years curriculum is delivered. n A senior member of staff with responsibility for SEND provision spoke to the inspector and explained how children with SEND are supported within the nursery. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing at nursery.

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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

9 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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