Poppies Nursery

Inspection of Poppies Nursery C/O Community Link Children's Centre, Beechwood Road, Luton LU4 9RD

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children play happily in the nursery. They choose activities and resources that they like and that interest them. Children listen to the descriptions and explanations staff use during their positive interactions in both adult-led and children's self- chosen activities. For example, babies and very young children concentrate for a long period of time while they explore foam mixed with blue paint. Staff talk about the colour and texture. Babies use their hands and resources, such as brushes, to make marks in the foam. Staff demonstrate how to form shapes. Children repeat the words they hear, such as 'round and round', while they attempt to draw circles with their hands. This helps very young children build on their vocabularies and begin to establish how to recognise shapes and colours.

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The provision is good

Children develop a passion for books. They sit with staff and recall their favourite stories, studying the illustrations they see on the pages. When it is time to go home, children take delight in leading their parents and carers to a dedicated area of the reception. They sit together, choosing books to take home and share with their families or stay and read a book together. This helps to strengthen parent's involvement in their children's continued good progress.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are effectively supported. Staff work closely with external professionals and agencies who are involved in supporting the children. This helps to ensure there is a clear and consistent approach to promote children's care, education and well-being. When the time comes, staff guide parents through a well-planned transition to other settings, including school. This contributes to children's continued good progress. n The manager is passionate in her role to support children, their families and her staff. This contributes to a strong ethos to identify individual needs. Her positive attitude is cascaded throughout the nursery, helping children to feel valued. n Children settle quickly in the nursery. Staff get to know parents well. Parents share important information about children's routines and preferences at home. This helps staff provide consistent care to help children feel secure and safe in

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need to do better?

the nursery. n When staff first begin to work in the nursery they are supported effectively through an induction process. This helps them quickly recognise how to keep children safe in the nursery and to understand their roles and responsibilities. Regular team meetings and supervision sessions help to ensure staff receive the training and development they need to make continual improvements to the quality of education. n Staff understand and support the needs of children who speak English as an

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need to do better?

11 January 2024 additional language effectively. Staff ensure they know key words in the language children speak at home. They use cards with pictures of familiar objects and routines to help children understand what is going to happen next and for children to make choices for themselves. This helps strengthen communication from the start. n Children behave well in the nursery. Staff gently remind children of the simple and consistent rules they have in place to help keep them safe. Staff take time to explain the reasons behind the rules, helping to strengthen children's understanding. Children learn to regulate their emotions and behaviours towards others, contributing to the harmonious environment within the nursery. n Staff use their observations to help identify what children need to learn next to help promote their good progress. Children respond well to the staff when they join their play and activities. However, at times the enthusiastic staff do not give

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need to do better?

children enough time to solve problems for themselves or to find different ways of doing things. This hinders children's creativity and opportunities to develop their own thinking skills and ideas. n Children choose their own resources, helping to trigger learning experiences. However, the newly established team working with two-year-old children have yet to fully embed a highly effective and stimulating learning environment. This hinders children's motivation to become curious, enthusiastic learners.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts the children's interests first.

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should:

n give children more time to predict outcomes, solve problems and find different ways of doing things for themselves and with their friends n support staff to help them further develop and plan a stimulating environment for children to spontaneously investigate, this particularly relates to the group room for two-year-olds.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY417021 Local authority Luton Inspection number 10305145 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 70 Number of children on roll 67 Name of registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance

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reference number

Telephone number 01582-495029 Date of previous inspection 13 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Poppies Nursery registered in 2010. It shares the site with Beechwood Primary School. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff, 13 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm during term time and from 8.15am until 5.15pm during school holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider has received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken this into account in her evaluation of the provision. n The manager and inspector went on a learning walk. The manager described the ethos and curriculum in the nursery. n The inspector observed activities in the group rooms and garden. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector held meetings with the manager and the area manager. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents. She took their views into consideration in her evaluation of the 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

11 January 2024 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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