Little Shipmates Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Shipmates Day Nursery 1 Malwood Road West, Hythe, Southampton SO45 5DB

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They form meaningful relationships with staff, who care deeply about children's learning and welfare. This helps children feel safe and secure. Children make meaningful friendships. They are kind and considerate, and they enjoy learning together. For example, children role play in the mud kitchen. They create interesting mixtures as they contribute their ideas and take turns to add natural materials, such as grass. This helps children develop the skills they will need to maintain future relationships.

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The provision is good

Children develop an early understanding of new concepts, such as mathematics. For example, children learn about measure, as they use rulers to compare heights of structures made from magnetic bricks. They develop their understanding of number as they count the items of food on their plate during mealtimes. Staff introduce older children to simple fractions, such as 'half' and 'quarter', as children slice fruit with knives. This helps them develop the skills they will need for future learning.

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The provision is good

Staff use routine activities to help children develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, Children fill plastic cones with sand and watch in fascination as the sand drains out of a hole in the bottom. Staff encourage children to think about what they might use to stop the flow of the sand. Children identify that pushing the end of a paintbrush into the cone slows or stops the flow, depending on the pressure they apply. This helps children develop good attitudes towards their learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff develop a curriculum that is ambitious and prioritises what children need to become confident, resilient and independent learners. Staff demonstrate skill, as they deliver the curriculum with success. This reflects the quality of support, training and coaching they receive from managers. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make consistent progress. n Children develop a love of stories and rhymes. For example, they enjoy weekly trips to the library, which helps develop their vocabulary, as well as their interest in books. Staff make story times interesting and engaging, capturing children's interest. For instance, while reading a story about a hungry caterpillar, children re-enact the story using props. They name, discuss and count the items of food, as they follow the story and feed these to the toy caterpillar. This helps children

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need to do better?

develop their language skills as they make connections within their learning. n Staff provide children with a daily routine that develops their understanding of 'now' and 'next'. This helps children feel secure, as they transition through most

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need to do better?

19 February 2024 activities with ease. However, on occasion, mealtime routines within the baby room can become disorganised. This extends the time babies wait before they receive their meals. This has an impact on their behaviour, as they wander away from the table or throw their empty plates on the floor. n Staff provide children with a range of opportunities to promote their independence. For example, babies learn to pull up their trousers after nappy changes. This helps them to develop the skills they will need in preparation for toilet training. During mealtimes, older children serve their own food, pour their own drinks and empty their own plates without prompt. This helps children develop the skills they will need for their next stage in learning. n Children learn about similarities and differences, as they explore customs and celebrations from around the world. For example, children learn about Chinese

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need to do better?

New Year. They taste traditional Chinese cooking and learn about gifting, as they create red envelopes for people that are important to them. Staff create 'special books' for each child. These contain photos from home and nursery. Children enjoy looking through these with their friends, sharing their experiences. This helps children gain a sense of self and belonging. n Children learn about the importance of oral health and engage in interesting activities. For example, children use toothbrushes and foam soap to clean large teeth models, practising the skills they need to keep their teeth healthy. However, staff do not always consider the appropriateness of resources, as children show an interest in tasting the pretend 'toothpaste'. This has an impact on the learning intent. n Staff support children's physical development well. For example, children make pretend cakes out of play dough. They develop their hand strength, as they use

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need to do better?

rolling pins and squeeze the play dough into different shapes. Children strengthen their pincer grip, as they pick up tiny sprinkles and use pipettes to collect water. This helps children gain the necessary skills in preparation for future writing. n Staff communicate regularly with parents, keeping them up to date with children's care and progress. They provide tips and advice on a range of subjects, such as toileting and bereavement, creating resources for parents and children to explore together at home. Parents have opportunities to discuss their children's progress in detail during parents' evenings. This helps to create consistency for children's learning.

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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:

19 February 2024 n strengthen the organisation of routine activities, such as mealtimes, to ensure that children's needs are met without delay n support children to reach their fullest potential by ensuring that resources securely promote the learning intent of activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500189 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10317353 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 61 Number of children on roll 141 Name of registered person Little Shipmates Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 023 80841166 Date of previous inspection 30 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Shipmates Day Nursery registered again in 2016. The nursery is located in Hythe, Hampshire. The nursery employs 33 members of childcare staff. Of whom, 23 hold a relevant level 2 qualification or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 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 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, the deputy and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the provision and discussed the early years foundation stage curriculum. n The inspector talked to the manager, the staff and the 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

19 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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