Little Swans Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Swans Day Nursery 330 Yardley Road, Yardley, Birmingham B25 8LT

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children are happy and thrive in this nurturing environment. Staff greet children and parents as they arrive, and they enjoy listening to children as they tell them what they have been doing outside of the nursery. Children are eager to become involved in activities and settle quickly into the nursery day. Staff plan and implement an interesting curriculum which covers all aspects of learning. Staff encourage children and skilfully support their learning. Children enjoy being creative. Younger children put glue onto foam eggs and carefully dip the eggs into glitter. Staff support their emerging language and introduce words such as 'sparkle' and 'shiny'. They encourage children to name the colour of the glitter they are using. Children are mesmerised as they watch the glitter sparkling as they turn the eggs around in their hands. Staff encourage children's awareness of the living world and how things grow. Older children enjoy taking care of tomato and pepper

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The provision is good

seeds they have planted. They recognise that the seeds need water and sunshine to grow and carefully pour water onto the seeds. Staff provide many opportunities for children to build their fine motor skills. Children thoroughly enjoy manipulating dough in their hands. They roll it, pat it, pull it and try and flatten it using rolling pins.

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The provision is good

Staff build positive relationships with children. Affection is readily given and received. Staff are positive role models. They give gentle reminders to children about sharing and being kind to one another. Children's confidence and self-esteem blossom through the praise and encouragement staff bestow on them. Children develop independence. They understand the need to wash their hands at appropriate times during the day, such as before mealtimes and after using the bathroom.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have worked hard to make significant improvements to the nursery. Staff all receive training and support to raise the quality of teaching. Effective observations of staff practice ensure that staff understand what is expected of them in delivering the curriculum. Consequently, children are accessing activities and resources, and staff skilfully interact alongside them. n Staff report high levels of well-being. They have access to training to help them in their role and say that leaders are supportive. Staff receive regular information about safeguarding, and displays around the room support staff to know what action to take if they are concerned about children in their care. n The key-person system is effective. Staff know their children very well. Detailed information is gathered from parents, which helps staff to plan activities that will ignite children's thirst for learning. Leaders have made changes to their

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need to do better?

curriculum to help staff plan more precisely for children's next steps in learning.

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need to do better?

7 March 2024 This needs to be fully embedded so that staff can continually enhance and extend activities to challenge children even further and support the progress in their learning. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. All children's learning plans and targets are updated and reviewed with outside agencies that may also be involved with the care of the children. This holistic approach ensures that children make the progress they are capable of. n All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are supported to understand nursery activities and routines. Staff wear lanyards showing pictures of different activities for children to see. In addition, boards displaying activities of what is happening now and next are used in the rooms as visual aids. This helps children to transition from different activities and nursery routines. However, on occasion, these transitions mean that children sit for

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need to do better?

extended periods. For example, they sit and listen to a story before lunch. Children then sit to eat lunch, which is followed by a further activity where children sit. This means that some children become disengaged and do not gain the most from the curriculum on offer. n Good hygiene practices are followed by staff and children. Children know to wash their hands after messy play, being outdoors, before snack and lunch. Staff encourage children to use their self-care skills to wipe their own noses and then gently remind children to wash their hands afterwards. This helps to prevent cross-contamination. n Staff promote equality and diversity throughout the nursery. Stories and resources teach children about others who may be different from them and that it is OK to be different. Children learn about different communities beyond their own. Outdoors, children access a role-play Indian clothing and jewellery store.

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need to do better?

Parents have donated clothing and shoes, which children love to explore and wear. Trips to the library and a local care home offer children experiences different to their own. n Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They say that staff are caring and friendly. Information about children's learning progress is shared via an online app. Parents are invited into the nursery to read with children. There is lending library to borrow books to take home. This helps parents to support their children's learning at home.

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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:

7 March 2024 n support staff to further embed the curriculum to continually enhance children's learning so that they make even more progress n consider the nursery routines and how better to use these so that children do not sit for long periods.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY103338 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10334011 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 124 Number of children on roll 141 Name of registered person Boulton, Elaine Sheila

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 706 8889 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Little Swans Day Nursery registered in 2002 and is based in Yardley, Birmingham. It is open from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold qualifications at level 6, nine hold qualifications at level 3, and two hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The nominated individual and the manager joined the inspectors on a learning walk and talked to the inspectors about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspectors spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors spoke with the nominated individual and the manager about the leadership and management of the nursery. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspectors about how they support children with SEND. n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of group activity with the manager. n The inspectors spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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 March 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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