Spittal Day Nursery

Inspection of Spittal Day Nursery St John's Church Hall, North Greenwich Road, Spittal, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 1RG

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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 Good

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The provision requires improvement

The manager has not identified that there are weaknesses in practice that impact on children's learning and behaviour. Staff working with older children do not always intervene when a small number of children running distracts other children. Children do not always demonstrate high levels of engagement. At times, activities that staff provide for older children do not support their interests or stages of development. For example, resources to develop children's writing skills are too difficult for some children. They become bored when this happens. That being said, there are occasions when staff support children's learning effectively. For example, staff work alongside children playing with cars. They demonstrate counting as they load blocks onto the vehicles. Staff encourage children to build bridges for the vehicles to pass under. On these occasions, children demonstrate higher levels of engagement and concentrate well.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy in the nursery. They arrive happily and develop good relationships with their key person and other staff. Babies enjoy cuddles from their key person. Older children enjoy picking stories to listen to in the book den. Staff have thought carefully about how they can keep children safe. Their risk assessments identify potential hazards. For example, buggy storage is blocked off so that children cannot enter this area. Doors are locked to prevent unauthorised visitors from entering the premises. This helps to keep children safe.

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need to do better?

n Staff do not always plan effectively for older children's interests or age and stage of development. They do not always focus sufficiently on what they want children to learn next. For example, some activities lack a clear focus on learning, and not all children make the progress they are capable of. On other occasions, some activities do not support children's stage of development, particularly in early writing. Children lose concentration, and this impacts on the way some children act and behave. n Staff do not always manage children's behaviour well. For example, sometimes, staff in class two are engaged in organisational tasks, such as completing daily records. They do not always notice or remind children of the expectations regarding running in the nursery. Sometimes, children running distracts other children from their learning and they struggle to concentrate. n The manager provides advice and support to staff. However, she does not focus

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need to do better?

sufficiently on how the quality of teaching impacts on children's learning. As a result, there are weaknesses in practice that she has not yet identified. For example, she has not identified that staff do not consistently implement the behaviour policy. This means that in some areas, practice does not continue to improve.

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need to do better?

8 December 2023 n Babies are happy and settled. They quickly develop good relationships with their key person. Staff know the children well and respond when they are tired or hungry. For example, they put babies to sleep in their pushchair when they show signs of tiredness. Staff know what they want children to learn next. At mealtimes, they try new ways of getting babies to try more solid foods and report this back to parents. n Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. From a young age, babies and children learn the importance of washing their hands before and after eating. Children understand the importance of healthy eating and enjoy healthy snacks. n The manager identifies training that would benefit staff and uses meetings to share messages from training. Staff working in class two have recently reviewed the strategies they use to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The manager gathers feedback from parents and uses this

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need to do better?

information to improve the nursery. For example, following feedback from parents, she plans to hold meetings to discuss children's progress with parents. n Children with SEND receive effective support. Staff work effectively with other professionals from health services, such as speech and language therapists and other early learning support services. They have clear targets for how they can support children with their communication or social interaction.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of how they can keep children safe. The manager ensures that staff are well trained on all aspects of safeguarding. Regular training and briefing sessions help to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Staff have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is suffering from abuse. They know the procedures they must follow if they have a concern. They have a strong understanding of a range of safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty guidance.

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Due date

use information about children's interests and age and stage of development to plan challenging and enjoyable activities 12/01/2024

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Due date

improve behaviour management and ensure staff consistently identify and address any issues that occur. 12/01/2024

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should:

n identify weaknesses in teaching, and support staff to raise the quality of their practice to a consistently good level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY313620 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10295373 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 66 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Knox, Joanne

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reference number

Telephone number 01289 330644 Date of previous inspection 12 December 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Spittal Day Nursery registered in 1994 and is located in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one member of staff who holds an early years degree. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5.30pm, all year round, except for Christmas and bank holidays. 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 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 showed the inspector around the nursery and explained their curriculum intent. n The inspector observed children playing and learning and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The manager evaluated an activity with the inspector. n Parents spoke to the inspector and shared their views of the nursery. n The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The manager talked to the inspector about how she keeps children safe.

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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

8 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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