Alphabet House Day Nursery

Inspection of Alphabet House Day Nursery 126 Nottingham Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 2BZ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Staff take great care to get to know every child thoroughly, including before they start, to ensure that they are fully included in what the nursery has to offer. Children's ideas and imaginations blossom as they explore the wide range of role- play areas and small-world activities. Younger children pretend to make cups of tea, dress dolls in hats and offer staff plates and spoons. Older children visit the imaginary supermarket, where they fill baskets, visit the checkout and receive pretend receipts. The staff patiently show children how to do things. They encourage them to persist, help them to think through problems and challenge them to do more.

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The provision is good

Children's progress in all areas of learning is carefully planned by staff. For example, staff purposefully arrange the baby room to support babies' physical development. Babies learn to crawl, climb and cruise. As they grow and move through the nursery, children progress to participating in dance and yoga sessions. Children of all ages love listening to stories, and staff encourage them to join in. For example, staff read stories about farm animals, asking younger children to name them and identify what noises the animals make. Older children listen to stories linked to the weather and further their understanding as staff support them to create rainbows and collage suncatchers and splash in puddles outside.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to make the required improvements. The curriculum has been reviewed to ensure that it is ambitious and helps all children to succeed and make good progress. Effective practice is embedded throughout the nursery, enabling all children to reach their potential and remain safe and healthy. Staff have been able to access different training opportunities and benefit from effective supervision and mentoring sessions. This has had a positive impact on the quality of education provided. n Parents welcome the information they receive about their children's care and learning. They report that staff are approachable and offer helpful advice. The parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) value the nursery's willingness to work with other professionals to meet their children's needs. Managers proactively engage other professionals for specialist

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need to do better?

support. As a result, children with SEND achieve well. n Staff understand how to sequence learning to help children. Toddlers enjoy familiar stories, which staff revisit throughout the day and link to the activities children enjoy. For example, toddlers listen intently to a story about a gingerbread man. They recall previous learning and the story narrative as they develop hand-eye coordination and small-muscle skills while manipulating play dough to create their own gingerbread man.

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need to do better?

5 December 2023 n Staff talk to children enthusiastically as they play, offering warm praise and positive encouragement. Babies learn to behave well as staff gently remind them to use 'kind hands' and role model how to be kind to their friends. Older children develop firm friendships as they learn to play together, develop skills in sharing and are supported to take turns. Toddlers help staff hold a parachute up high to allow their friends to crawl underneath and join in songs that include their friends' names. n Staff ensure that children hear relevant and useful words daily. Children are encouraged to use these words in their learning and are praised when they do. As children play, staff offer clear running commentaries and encourage older children to join in conversations and share ideas. However, staff who work with younger children do not yet assess children's level of understanding carefully or

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need to do better?

plan precisely enough to help them rapidly increase the range of words they already know. n Staff promote children's good health and especially target their independence skills. Children of all ages learn to do things for themselves. Staff teach babies to hold a spoon and encourage them to feed themselves. Toddlers wash their hands independently and collect cutlery and cups before sitting down for lunch. Older children are provided with mirrors to help them see where and whether their faces require washing. Children are encouraged to help tidy away resources and dress themselves ready for outdoor play. n Staff help children to prepare for the next stages in their learning, such as moving into the next room. They plan activities to support children's interests and help children become confident learners. However, some older children struggle to maintain high levels of engagement during group activities. This is

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need to do better?

because staff do not plan and organise these carefully to help individual children get the most out of their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers identify gaps in staff's knowledge and provide further training to ensure all staff possess a good knowledge of how to safeguard children from risk of harm. Staff know how to refer concerns they have about a child or adult by following their safeguarding policy and procedures. The managers follow safer recruitment procedures to ensure that the staff they employ are suitable to work with children. Children learn about their safety, through the gentle direction from staff with reminders to use 'walking feet' when indoors and practising what to do in the event of a fire.

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should:

5 December 2023 n review the planning and organisation of group activities for older children to ensure all children remain engaged and interested in learning n focus more precisely on younger children's communication and language to further assess what they already understand and support them with what they need to learn next.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY450539 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10270511 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 70 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Forest Schools Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0115 9734442 and then 07971 191593 Date of previous inspection 8 December 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Alphabet House Day Nursery registered in 2012 and is situated in Long Eaton, Nottingham. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6.30pm, all year round. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 have relevant childcare qualifications between levels 3 and 4.

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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 the manager completed a walk around the nursery and discussed the manager's plans and reasoning for the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of the curriculum during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and deputy manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to a small number of 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

5 December 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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