Ducklings Private Nursery

Inspection of Ducklings Private Nursery 69 Derby Road, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5HY

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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

Children enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff place a strong focus on supporting children's personal, social, and emotional well-being. They are attentive to children's needs, offering reassurance, comfort and cuddles when needed. Furthermore, Staff provide experiences to help give children a sense of belonging. For example, they collect photographs of the children and their families. They display these photographs at the children's level to prompt discussions. This helps children to feel secure and valued.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's communication skills well. They provide activities and experiences to promote children's language development from an early age. For example, staff sing songs to babies while they change their nappies. Babies choose a book and snuggle up to the staff to enjoy a story. They help turn the pages and repeat familiar sounds, such as 'choo choo' and 'ribbit'. Staff plan daily circle time for older children. They skilfully bring stories to life and capture children's interest and curiosity. For instance, children wait in anticipation of what happens next. They recall events in the story and join in with repeated phrases. This helps to promote children's listening and attention skills and builds their confidence in small-group activities.

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need to do better?

n Parents express they are very happy with the care their children receive at the nursery. They say that staff communication is good, and they are fully aware of their child's achievements and what it is they are learning next. Parents comment that they receive weekly ideas for activities to do at home to stretch children's learning further. Furthermore, they appreciate how the staff involve parents by holding coffee mornings to share information and help them understand the nursery curriculum. n Overall, staff plan a curriculum to meet children's individual needs and interests. When this is done well, the delivery of the experiences staff provides support for children to learn and progress. For instance, during a circle activity, staff use differentiation and focus on the children's current stage of learning. That said, staff do not consistently consider the different learning intentions for all children.

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need to do better?

For example, staff sometimes deliver activities without understanding children's individual learning needs. n Staff understand that children need to practise their small-muscle skills and hand-eye coordination in readiness for future writing. They provide an array of activities to help children develop these skills. For instance, children take part in 'dough disco'. They follow the direction of staff and listen to the beat of music as they use their small-muscle skills to roll and squish the play dough. This helps children to strengthen their finger muscles.

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need to do better?

22 November 2023 n Overall, children behave well in the nursery. They respond positively to instructions and mostly develop a suitable awareness of the staff's behaviour expectations. Staff consistently use praise and encouragement to support children's good behaviour. However, on rare occasions when children display unwanted behaviour, staff do not always provide an explanation of why this behaviour is unwanted. n Staff benefit from regular supervision with the manager to support them in their roles. Staff say that they feel valued and respected, and their views are listened to. Leaders invest in staff professional development. For instance, the nursery closes early once a week for staff training and curriculum meetings. This supports staff to refine their teaching skills more precisely. n Children respond well to familiar routines and learn independence skills from an early age. For instance, at mealtimes, babies learn to drink from cups and to use

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need to do better?

a spoon to feed themselves. Older children serve their own food and drinks. They also scrape their plates and clear away cutlery when finished with their meal. That said, during some mealtimes, staff do not always continue with their typical high levels of interaction with children. This results in some mealtimes being less of a social occasion where children can extend their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are knowledgeable about child protection concerns. They access regular safeguarding training, and the manager checks their knowledge through quizzes and team meetings. As a result, staff talk confidently about the procedures to follow if they are worried a child is at risk of harm. Additionally, staff know what to do if they have a concern about a colleague's conduct. There are robust procedures in place for the safe use of mobile phones and cameras in the nursery, and this is evident in practice. Staff ensure the premises are safe and secure. They supervise children closely while encouraging them to take appropriate risks.

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should:

n build on staff's knowledge of the curriculum intent, so they are clear about what it is that children need to learn, to help them reach their full potential n make the most of daily routines such as mealtimes, to interact and prompt discussion with children, to extend their learning further n help staff to consistently explain to children the impact their behaviour could potentially have on themselves or others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2643262 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10319706 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 55 Number of children on roll 55 Name of registered person Ducklings Private Nursery LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 0115 9390105 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Ducklings Private Nursery registered in 2021 and is based in Sandiacre, Nottingham. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Thursday, 7.30am until 6pm and Friday, 7.30am until 3.45pm, all year round, except bank holidays and one week between Christmas and New Year.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and manager completed a learning walk together. n The inspector spoke with the manager to gain an understanding of their curriculum intent. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to 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

22 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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