Walkers Day Nursery

Inspection of Walkers Day Nursery St David's Walk, Church Street, Moreton - in - Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 0LT

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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

Managers have an aspirational vision for the nursery. They work with staff to put in place a sequenced, ambitious curriculum to support children to learn well. The focus is on building children's confidence, independence and preparing them for their future learning. Staff work closely with local schools to provide children with the skills needed for the move into school. For example, they focus on helping children to manage their own clothes, express ideas, learn their name and some letters and sounds.

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The provision is good

Staff greet children enthusiastically and help them settle quickly. Children eagerly explore the different activities that are available to them. Children show high levels of engagement in their play and learning and behave well. Staff are good role models, offering reminders about using 'walking feet' indoors, 'kind hands' and 'words' instead of gestures. Children confidently explore the indoor and outdoor environments. Staff follow children's interests well. For example, outdoors when children find a seed on the ground staff help them find a pot and soil to plant it. Children recall similar activities earlier in the year and talk animatedly about how they cared for and grew the plants. Children take an interest and show awe and wonder in the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Children enthusiastically engage in a festive song and rhyme time. They clearly know the songs as they anticipate which one will come next. Staff include signs, gestures and words encouraging children to join in. Even if children are not sure of the words, they know the actions and join in well. Older children have fun naming items they pull out of a bucket staff have prepared for them. Staff ask questions and help children to recognise similar sounds. Children note that 'shark' and 'shell' sound the same at the beginning. Children are becoming confident talkers. n Partnership with parents is strong. Parents comment that they get plenty of information about what their children are doing and how they can support them at home. They comment that most staff have been here for a while, so they feel that staff know them and their children well. They are confident that staff act to keep children safe and teach them well.

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need to do better?

n Children's behaviour is a focus for the staff. They recognise that some children struggle to manage their emotions and have several strategies in place to help children understand what is expected of them. Staff encourage older children to be good role models for younger children as well. They help them to share toys, take turns and include younger ones in their play. When there are disputes over the toys, staff act quickly to help children sort out the problem for themselves. For example, children know they can use timers to take turns with favourite

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need to do better?

24 November 2023 toys. Staff help children to understand when changes in the routine are going to happen. They give a five-minute warning using a bell and make sure all children have heard. This means children are ready for the change and can manage their emotions better. n Managers make sure key persons build good relationships with parents and children. Key persons know children well and notice when they may need extra support. They talk with parents and other professionals to seek appropriate interventions to support children. Staff find out words in home languages and talk with parents about different celebrations so they can include these in the nursery. All children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning to speak English as an additional language make good progress. n Children have plenty of choices about how they want to play and learn. Indoors

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need to do better?

children experiment with dough tools. They use rolling pins and cutters to make different shapes. Staff ask questions encouraging children to name the shapes and count the pieces of dough. Outdoors children 'fill up' pretend cars at the 'petrol station' then drive down the pretend roads made with pretend bricks. Staff encourage other children to 'stop, look and listen' before crossing the 'road. n Managers support their staff well and encourage them to undertake training and develop their practice. They recognise the need to focus professional development on extending the learning of more able children. For example, sometimes staff do not adapt activities or support for older and more able children to provide greater challenge for children to build further on what they already know and can do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know and understand their responsibilities for safeguarding children. They recognise potential signs of abuse and know how to refer concerns. Staff know how to escalate concerns about adults including when to contact external agencies. Managers make sure staff keep safeguarding and paediatric first aid training up to date. They regularly review risk assessments, to identify potential hazards and how they can minimise or eliminate them. They make changes to the use and supervision of equipment outdoors to help make sure children stay safe.

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should:

n build on staff professional development to help them focus on how to extend learning and development for those children who are older and more able to build further on what they know and can do

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Setting details

Unique reference number 101801 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10318849 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Koenig, Caroline Louise

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reference number

Telephone number 01608 651334 Date of previous inspection 21 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Walkers Day Nursery opened in 1986 and registered under the current owner in 1999. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, all year round, apart for bank holidays and two weeks at Christmas. A team of eight staff work with the children, including the owner. Of these, six hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early 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 provider. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. 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 joint observations of group activities outdoors with the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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 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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