Little Cherubs

Inspection of Little Cherubs 3 Burton Rd, Woodville, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 7JE

p.1

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 Good

p.1

The provision requires improvement

Children are greeted warmly by staff at the nursery door and safely escorted to their individual playrooms. Here, key staff welcome and settle them to play with the available toys and resources. Babies show secure emotional attachments as they nestle in the arms of staff when being offered a bottle. Toddlers have fun manipulating bricks to make towers and show pleasure as staff praise them for their achievements. Older children show good imagination as they work together to make 'leaf' soup. However, the staff's teaching is variable and sometimes children are not given time to consolidate or continue their learning, particularly for older children, which hinders their progress. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The manager does not consistently monitor or recognise the weaknesses in some staff's teaching practice.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Children love to spend time outdoors. Even from a young age, they learn to climb the steps up to the slide, supported by staff to ensure their safety. Children show good coordination as they push wheeled toys along the floor and manoeuvre them well around objects. Children develop good creative skills as they use paint and chunky chalk to make marks and move to music. Older children manage their personal care needs well, such as taking themselves to the toilet when needed.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Children behave well overall, and when asked by staff, children can tell them about the 'golden rules' of the nursery, such as 'kind hands' and 'listening ears'. Staff use frequent praise and encouragement as rewards when children follow instructions and show kindness to others.

p.2

need to do better?

n Overall, staff know the children well and plan a curriculum to reflect what they want children to learn next. However, not all staff deliver an ambitious curriculum, particularly for older children and children with SEND. During some activities, staff focus too much on the outcome rather than what they want the children to learn. As a result, some children lose interest and are not sure what staff expect of them. n Older children have fewer opportunities to choose how and where they want to play. This is because staff move children from one area to the next every thirty minutes to allow children to experience play in all four rooms. However, this means that sometimes children have to stop and leave what they are doing. As a result, there are fewer opportunities for them to become deeply engaged and consolidate their learning. n Staff ensure that children have opportunities to explore the outdoors and the

p.2

need to do better?

local community to build on their understanding of the world. Children take part in forest school trips where they explore the woods and learn how to take

p.2

need to do better?

22 November 2023 controlled risks. Staff take children on walks to learn about the local community and their place within it. They work hard to ensure every child is treated equally and fairly and have the same opportunities as their peers. n The manager and provider work hard to ensure staff are well-supported in the nursery. Staff speak highly of them and of the support they receive through supervision and meetings. However, the manager does not monitor and evaluate staff practice well enough. As a result, teaching is sometimes inconsistent and does not always meet the needs of children, particularly older children and those children with SEND. n In the main, staff help children to develop their independence skills. Children wash their hands after using paint and take themselves to the toilet when needed. However, sometimes the staff do not give children enough opportunities to extend these skills, such as cutting fruit for snacks, helping themselves to

p.2

need to do better?

tissues without being asked or putting on their coats. This limits their ability to learn how to respond to their needs, ready for the next stage of learning. n Staff encourage children to practise their speaking skills as they play. When supporting babies, staff speak to them, giving them time to babble and respond back to them. Staff reading stories to toddlers and older children encourage them to guess what will happen next and name the familiar characters. n Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. Parents speak highly of the caring and committed staff team and how much their children enjoy coming to the nursery. They comment on the effective sharing of information, not only during collection but also via the online application. Furthermore, parents say they feel informed of changes in the nursery, such as when their child transitions from one room to another.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The provider, manager and staff team attend regular safeguarding training. In discussions, they can explain what would give them cause for concern regarding a child's welfare and who to report their concerns to. Staff are deployed appropriately in the nursery to ensure children are consistently supervised and kept safe. They complete visual risk assessments every day, both indoors and outside, to help ensure areas children access are free from potential hazards. The manager and provider follow safer recruitment procedures to ensure that anyone working in the setting is safe and suitable to care for children.

p.3

Due date

22 November 2023 ensure the curriculum is implemented consistently by staff to meet the individual learning needs of all children, in particular, older children and those with SEND 21/12/2023

p.3

Due date

ensure every child has the opportunity to choose how and where they want to play 21/12/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure supervision and monitoring of staff helps to identify and address weaknesses in their practice in order to raise the quality and improve teaching. 21/12/2023

p.4

should:

n enhance existing opportunities for children to use their independence skills.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY548399 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10318316 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 87

p.5

Name of registered person

Little Cherubs Children's Nursery And Preschool Limited

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 01283 223512 Date of previous inspection 21 September 2018

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Little Cherubs registered in 2017 and is located in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.5

Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector, the manager, the deputy, a member of staff and the provider participated in a learning walk and discussed the curriculum and what staff want children to learn. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector spoke with staff and parents, and took their views into consideration. n The inspector reviewed a sample of key documentation.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7