The Wishing Tree Day Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection of The Wishing Tree Day Nursery and Pre-School 14 Carden Avenue, Brighton BN1 8NA

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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 enjoy their time at the setting. They develop secure relationships with staff, who are passionate about children's learning and care about their feelings and views. For instance, staff ask children permission before engaging in intimate care routines. They give children a choice as to whom they want to carry out their care, providing children with a voice and respecting their wishes. This creates a considerate environment where children feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's emerging communication skills well. For instance, they provide children with tools to help them communicate while their language is at an early stage of development. This includes introducing basic sign language. Children, including babies, learn to sign simple requests, such as 'more'. Staff narrate children's play, enabling them to hear key words repeatedly and helping to extend their vocabulary. Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language, become effective communicators.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and develop good attitudes towards their learning. For example, a small group of children work together to complete a challenging jigsaw puzzle. Staff sit with children and allow them to use their knowledge of shape before offering further support and encouragement, such as matching colours and patterns. Although tricky, staff encourage children to persevere, helping them develop resilience.

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need to do better?

n The manager creates a curriculum that is engaging, ambitious and well sequenced. Staff create next steps in learning that build successfully on what children already know. This enables all children to make steady progress from their starting points. Staff have regular opportunities to build on their own skills, through effective and supportive supervision. This develops staff's knowledge and promotes the continuous improvement of the setting. Staff receive good levels of support from senior staff, which helps them feel valued. n Children develop an early understanding of literacy through their love of stories. For example, babies enjoy snuggling up with staff to read interactive books. They touch the textured pages and repeat the word 'fluffy', as they stroke the ears of the lamb on the page. Staff encourage older children to use the pictures to predict what will happen next, before reading the next part of the story. This

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need to do better?

helps children think critically and gain an understanding that text has meaning. n Staff engage children in regular discussion to develop their understanding of equality and diversity. For example, during story time, staff encourage children to explore their similarities and differences. Children identify that some of them

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need to do better?

7 February 2024 were born in Brighton, whereas others were born in another county or country. These discussions encourage children to explore their views in a respectful and safe environment. This helps children develop acceptance, as well as a secure sense of self. n Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children improve their balance and strengthen core muscles as they stretch their bodies into yoga poses. Children practise their fine motor skills as they explore new materials and tools. For example, they squeeze, pound and manipulate clay and use pipettes to distribute water. This helps children develop the skills they will need for future writing. n Children benefit from a consistent routine. Staff break the day into small chunks, helping children gain an understanding of 'now' and 'next'. This helps them to feel secure. However, on occasion, some children, including babies wait

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need to do better?

unnecessarily before they can eat their food. This is due to the strategies staff use to wash babies' hands. This can cause some babies to become restless and upset. n Staff create regular opportunities to develop children's independence skills, helping to prepare them for their next stage in learning. For example, babies learn to respond to their own care needs as staff support them to wipe their own noses with the aid of mirrors. Older children enjoy additional responsibility as they set up areas for mealtimes, gathering plates and cutlery from the kitchen and laying the table. n Staff work in partnership with parents and professionals, creating a consistent approach that supports children's learning. Parents receive regular updates, including children's progress and changes in staff, policies and routines. Parents report that their children are happy and make good progress during their time at the setting.

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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 strengthen mealtime routines, so that babies do not need to wait unnecessarily.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2727128 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10327059 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 86 Number of children on roll 151 Name of registered person The Childcare Corporation Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01273 551515 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Wishing Tree Day Nursery and Pre-School registered in 2023. It is situated in Brighton, East Sussex. The nursery operates throughout the year, except for bank holidays, between the hours of 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. The provider is in receipt of funding for children aged two, three and four years. There are 34 members of staff employed here. Of these, 20 hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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 provision and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to the manager and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

7 February 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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