Seedlings Nursery and Pre-school

Inspection of Seedlings Nursery and Pre-school Unit 15, Manor Road Industrial Estate, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO12 7BE

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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 are happy and settled in the nursery. Staff know how to meet their care needs effectively and have close relationships with them. Babies, including those who are new to the nursery, show contentment and enjoy a cuddle while they drink their bottle. Staff are kind, caring and nurturing towards children. They provide children with praise and encouragement regularly. Children benefit from this and develop good levels of self-confidence. They try hard to develop new skills, such as using scissors safely. Staff work hard to support children's personal, social and emotional development. Children develop social skills and begin to understand behavioural boundaries.

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The provision is good

Staff provide an exciting curriculum, which is based on children's interests and stages of development. They add new themes and topics to activities to help children broaden their knowledge and experience. Key staff know their key children very well, particularly those who support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with parents and other professionals to find out what children can already do. This helps to promote continuity of learning for children and build secure foundations for the future. Although the nursery opened after the pandemic, the manager recognised that staff needed to focus on promoting children's language skills to minimise delay. Some staff have accessed Makaton training, which they use to help children communicate their needs.

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need to do better?

n Children show enjoyment in activities that are provided by staff. Toddlers concentrate for extended lengths of time as they explore sensory resources. Staff encourage them to use their hands to touch the 'gloop' and then describe how it feels. Older children focus intently as they make snips in their paper and access paint and glue independently. They show good levels of independence and enjoy making choices about their learning. n However, very recently, children have been separated into smaller 'room groups' to help younger children settle. This is effective and enables those who need a quieter space to develop confidence. However, staff who are not currently with their key children do not pass on enough information to help other staff focus their teaching. This means that, on occasion, staff are unsure of children's specific learning goals. n Staff provide smaller group times to focus on developing older children's

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need to do better?

listening skills and concentration in preparation for starting school. Children show enthusiasm to move into their group and are keen to share ideas about what might make a person feel happy. Staff read to children and help them to develop a love of books. They offer a lending library to encourage parents and families to read together at home.

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need to do better?

30 January 2024 n Babies benefit from a calm, nurturing environment. Staff focus on developing babies' physical and communication skills as babies play and explore. For instance, activities are purposefully arranged so that babies pull themselves up to access the resources. Staff model new words to them through stories and songs. Staff follow babies' individual routines and meet their care needs very well. n Toddlers thoroughly enjoy using the sensory room. Staff show them how to use musical instruments, such as the triangle, and help them to make different loud and quiet sounds. Children explore the different lights and bubbles around the room. They show awareness of their routine as staff begin to sing a song, which indicates it is time to leave. n Children's health is a priority in the nursery. They benefit from freshly cooked, nutritious meals, which are adapted to meet any specific dietary requirements.

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need to do better?

Staff teach children about healthy fruits and vegetables throughout the day. They encourage children to think about the importance of brushing their teeth. Children wash their hands before lunch and begin to learn to use the toilet, before they start school. n The manager and the staff team regularly gather parents' feedback to help drive forward improvement. For example, the manager has taken on board parents' views to move to an online journal for easier access. Staff access training and professional development opportunities. The manager prioritises staff's well- being and ensures that they are happy in their role. However, leaders do not consistently focus on evaluating staff's teaching skills during observations of their practice. This means that staff do not always benefit from constructive feedback on how to improve even further.

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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 children's interests first.

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should:

n help all staff to understand what children need to learn, specifically when their key person is not there, so their teaching is consistently purposeful while changes are embedded n support leaders to develop their skills in evaluating and reflecting on staff's practice through peer observations.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2654390 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 10305370 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 48 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person Kiddiwinks (Scarborough) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01723364201 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Seedlings Nursery and Pre-school registered in 2021. It is situated in Manor Road Business Park in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. The manager, who is also the provider, has early years professional status. The majority of the remaining staff hold relevant early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are form 8am to 6pm. The nursery 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 setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n A joint observation was completed by the deputy manager and the inspector indoors during a planned activity. n The inspector held a discussion with the manager in relation to the leadership and management of the nursery. n She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of recruitment, staff's qualifications and their suitability to work with children. n She discussed children's learning and development with the staff team and the nursery manager. n The inspector spoke to parents and obtained feedback for the inspection.

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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

30 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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