Sparkles Day Nursery

Inspection of Sparkles Day Nursery Rear Of 47, Micklegate, Selby YO8 4EA

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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 Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children happily engage in a range of play experiences where they are encouraged to learn to follow appropriate rules and boundaries. However, while there is a curriculum in place, it is not ambitious enough to effectively challenge every child. Leaders and managers sometimes place more emphasis on how they want children to learn through themes. This means that there is less focus on the skills and knowledge they want children to develop.

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The provision requires improvement

The use of designed play areas is not consistent. For example, when babies are cared for in their designated area, they access play resources suitable for their needs and abilities. This enables staff to engage with them and support their learning more effectively. For example, babies enjoy exploring sheer materials, with staff playing peekaboo with them. However, when they are in the main older children's area, they are encouraged to engage in activities which are not planned around their developmental needs. For example, as older children try to sit and listen to a story, babies crawl over them to reach the staff member. This is because the story is too advanced for the youngest children. Children are continually supervised wherever they play, which helps to ensure their safety and welfare.

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need to do better?

n Staff have a general overview of how activities support children's learning. However, they do not make full use of information gained from assessments. This means that planning of future experiences is not effectively focused on building on each child's prior knowledge and skills. The curriculum is not embedded in practice or robust enough. While children therefore make some progress, they are not achieving to their full potential. n Staff talk to children as they play. Singing and story times are introduced as part of the daily routine. Older, more confident children begin to join in as they recall familiar rhymes. Staff support children's counting skills as they introduce them to number rhymes. However, the organisation of the environment and planning of activities do not effectively support all children to build on their prior knowledge and skills. n Babies and older children are brought together for circle time. Older children

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need to do better?

learn to sit, listen and take turns. As the ball is rolled to them, they know it is their turn to speak. However, babies do not join in, as the experience is too advanced for them. They therefore gain little from the experience. n Children's good health is promoted through the provision of a balanced diet. Information is shared with parents about healthy eating so that any meals provided from home adhere to the nursery's policies. n Children are encouraged to play cooperatively with their peers and to behave well. However, weaknesses in the curriculum mean that all children's high levels

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need to do better?

26 February 2024 of curiosity, concentration and engagement are not effectively supported. n Some children choose to participate in a planned mark-making activity. Children access a range of pens and pencils and are encouraged to draw faces. However, staff initially stand over children as they try and discuss the facial features they are drawing. At snack time, staff also remain standing. This means that staff are unable to effectively encourage children's good interactions and social and communication skills. n Weaknesses in staff practice, as detailed above, are not being effectively identified through robust supervision and monitoring. Leaders and managers usually work in ratios with the children. This means that their focus is on the children and not on staff practice. Therefore, staff are not benefiting from targeted coaching and training to help improve their knowledge and skills. n All children enjoy playing outside. Children pour water into the top of the water

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need to do better?

wall and watch as it travels down the guttering. Other children use tubes as they try and catch the water. Staff allow children to transport the sand over to the water wall. When a child finds the sand is stuck in their tube, following directions from staff, they bang the tube to try and dislodge the sand. n Parents confirm that they receive regular information about their child's ongoing care and learning. They feel that the staff are approachable. Parents of children who speak English as an additional language explain how their children's English is developing since starting nursery.

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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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Due date

ensure that there is an ambitious curriculum in place which supports the broad range of skills, knowledge and attitudes children should develop over time 15/04/2024

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Due date

make more effective use of information gained from assessment to ensure that staff plan challenging activities which more effectively build on each child's prior knowledge and skills 15/04/2024

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Due date

26 February 2024 ensure that the separate baby area is used more consistently so that the younger children are provided with secure routines which fully support their play and learning 11/03/2024

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Due date

ensure that management have time to effectively monitor staff practice, to fully identify strengths and areas for improvement so that more focused support is provided to aid their continuous professional development. 15/04/2024

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2718092 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 10333891 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 22 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Almond, Mandy

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reference number

Telephone number 07554864472 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Sparkles Day Nursery registered in 2023 and is situated in Selby town centre. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 7.30am to 5.30pm. It closes for all bank holidays and for two weeks at Christmas. There are six childcare staff employed, of whom four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The provider offers funded early years education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery 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 inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children and staff spoke to/communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation during a planned activity. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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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

26 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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