Tarka Tots Nursery

Inspection of Tarka Tots Nursery Sure Start Childrens Centre, Victoria Park, Bideford, North Devon EX39 2QS

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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 arrive happily and demonstrate that they feel safe, settled and secure. Staff are excellent role models. They show respect and kindness for others, which children mirror in their own interactions. For example, older children say please and thank you when staff offer them snacks. Children behave well. When minor disagreements occur, staff manage this well. They explain the potential consequences of children's actions on themselves and others to help them learn to manage their own behaviour.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to persevere when they find things difficult, building children's resilience and self-esteem. For example, they show children how to balance on planks. Children practise with staff guidance and beam with delight when they achieve their goal. Children show motivation to learn. They focus for long periods from an early age. For example, babies listen intently as staff read stories. Older children learn to solve problems to develop their critical thinking skills as they experiment with ways to remove cars that are stuck in play dough.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's language development well. They add new words to extend children's vocabulary and repeat children's speech to help them learn how to pronounce words correctly. Staff have high expectations of children, instilling a love of learning which prepares them for the next stage in their education, including school.

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need to do better?

n The manager plans a balanced curriculum with a clear focus on developing children's communication skills. Experienced staff implement the curriculum well. Staff new to the nursery are still developing their understanding of the curriculum and sometimes miss opportunities to extend older children's learning. Despite this, all children make good progress from their starting points. n Care and learning in the baby room is of a particularly high quality, meaning children have an excellent start to their educational journey. Staff in the baby room are very sensitive to children's needs and children build strong bonds with them. Babies follow routines and are independent from an early age. They learn to say 'help please' when they need assistance from staff, such as when putting on their coats and shoes. This helps to reduce frustration and helps them to express their needs. n Staff teach children the skills they need to be able to solve disputes for

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need to do better?

themselves. For example, staff model how to ask for a turn and praise children for sharing, which nurtures their personal development. Older children demonstrate good social skills as they share chalk with other children in the outdoor area and line up to take turns on the play equipment.

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need to do better?

27 February 2024 n Staff provide high-quality interactions to help develop children's communication skills. Children use language well. For example, babies use two-word sentences, such as 'wash hands' and 'all gone'. Older children use the correct words to compare sizes, such as 'taller' as they build with foam bricks outside. n Staff use assessment effectively to identify when a child is at risk of falling behind. They work closely with the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, parents and external agencies to help ensure children receive extra support, when needed. The manager takes professional advice to guide her use of funding to ensure it meets the needs of the intended children. n Staff well-being is of a high priority to the management team. For example, managers work hard to reduce the burden of paperwork for staff and organise events and rewards to maintain their high morale. Staff report that they feel well

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need to do better?

supported which helps to ensure that children receive good quality care and learning. n Children develop their independence in preparation for school. For example, older children attend to their own toileting and put on their own coats and shoes. Toddlers ably serve their own snacks with tongs and babies use open cups from a young age. n Staff plan activities to support children to develop their muscles in preparation for early writing. For example, they manipulate play dough with their hands and practise using one-handed tools, such as scissors. Children enjoy making marks to develop their literacy skills using chalk, pencils and paint. n There have been some recent changes to staffing which have resulted in changes to children's key persons. Children remain settled and well supported by staff. However, staff have not kept parents fully informed about these changes which hinders partnership working. Despite this, parents say staff are caring and

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need to do better?

that their children enjoy their time at the 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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should:

n build further on relationships with parents to ensure all parents know who their children's key person is and understand the role of the key person to help ensure continuity of care and learning n continue to provide support, training and coaching for new staff, to build their confidence and skills in delivering the curriculum effectively for older children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY309995 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10334211 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 45 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Tarka Tots Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01237471831 Date of previous inspection 7 August 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Tarka Tots Nursery registered in 2005. It operates from Bideford Bay Children's Centre, in Bideford, North Devon. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year round. It receives funding for the provision of early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff who work directly with the children. Of these, six hold relevant qualifications at level 3 or above, two hold level 2 qualifications and one is unqualified.

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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 this 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 communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector talked to staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

27 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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