The Phoenix Kindergarten

Inspection of The Phoenix Kindergarten The Phoenix Kindergarten, 83 Awsworth Lane, Cossall, Nottingham NG16 2SA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children are supported to understand the routines of the day, which are embedded by staff. For example, staff sing songs with children when they ask them to wash their hands. This is to promote children's hand hygiene routines. Children are praised for their achievements, such as when they are creative and attach natural objects to clay. This helps to raise their self-esteem and confidence. Staff give children gentle reminders to show positive behaviour. This includes reminding them to take it in turns to shake musical instruments when they sing songs.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are keen to explore the environment, both indoors and outdoors. However, children are not supported to make the most progress of which they are capable. This is because the quality of staff's teaching is variable. For example, not all children are supported by staff to be engaged or to build on their learning during planned activities. That said, children are encouraged to develop their communication and language skills. For example, staff sing songs with children. The manager reads children the same story for one week, holding the book so children can see the pages. The manager recognises that reading the same story encourages children to recall and talk about events in the story. When children demonstrate their physical skills and access large equipment in the garden, staff supervise them well. For instance, the manager stands close by and offers support and suggestions of ways they can go down steps safely on their own.

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need to do better?

n The manager does not ensure that monitoring and coaching of staff are fully effective. This leads to the quality of some staff's teaching being weak. For example, occasionally, outdoors, staff supervise children but do not interact or support their learning effectively. The manager does hold meetings with staff to discuss the needs of individual children. n The manager and staff support children's personal, social and emotional development. For example, when children first start, they are invited to come with parents for initial visits and then to attend on their own. Staff find out about children's experiences at home and hold discussions with them about these. This contributes to children feeling emotionally secure in staff's care. n The manager is quick to identify and meet the needs of individual children during structured times of the day, such as when she reads stories to children. For example, when some children show signs of becoming restless indoors, the

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need to do better?

manager asks staff to take them outdoors for fresh air and exercise. This strategy is successful in providing some children with the physical exercise they need and others with opportunities to listen. n Children who speak English as an additional language receive support for their language development. For example, some staff use key phrases in children's

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need to do better?

14 December 2023 home language to help them settle when they first start. Gestures are also used, along with sign language, to help children to understand what is being asked of them in English. n Some staff help children to learn how food is grown. For example, children help staff to plant and grow vegetables in the garden. Children learn the names of the vegetables they harvest, such as turnips and beetroot. Staff offer children a range of healthy snacks, promoting a nutritious diet. However, staff do not help children to understand the importance of oral health and how this contributes to a healthy lifestyle. n Staff are very calm and patient. They have rules and boundaries in place to help children learn how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they talk to children about asking if they can climb the 'climbing tree' and for only one child to climb at a time, to head height only. n The new manager has made some changes to the setting since she started. For

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need to do better?

example, she sends newsletters to parents to keep them informed of activities their children take part in. However, the manager and staff do not share with parents how they can continue to support their children's learning at home. This will provide a more united approach to supporting children's development. n Some staff, but not all, support children's mathematical skills. For example, when children play outside, some staff ask them to find straight lines in the environment. Children explore outdoors and show delight in telling staff when they find fencing that has straight edges. However, this is not consistent practice across the staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff know how to identify and report any concerns they may have regarding children's safety or welfare. The manager checks that staff's knowledge is current by, for example, giving them scenarios to answer, which supports them to have an up-to-date knowledge of how to identify the signs of abuse. Risk assessments are carried out in the environment, which helps to identify and remove any potential hazards, to promote children's safety. For example, the manager stops children from accessing a bridge on larger climbing equipment that is identified to be unsafe. The manager and staff ensure that all gates and doors are locked. This is to help to stop unauthorised people from having access to children.

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Due date

14 December 2023 ensure that the monitoring and coaching of staff's practice identify and address gaps in their teaching skills. 14/03/2024

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should:

n support staff to help children to learn the importance of oral hygiene n develop partnerships with parents and support staff to offer them ideas about how they can continue to support their children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2602131 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10300928 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 10 Number of children on roll 15 Name of registered person The Phoenix Kindergarten CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 07465 244009 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Phoenix Kindergarten registered in 2003 and is situated in Cossall, Nottingham. The setting employs four members of childcare staff and has students on placement. Of these, all staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The setting opens on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed how the manager implements the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. 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

14 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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