Blh Childcare Unit

Inspection of Blh Childcare Unit Bolton Low Houses Childcare Unit, Bolton Low Houses, WIGTON, Cumbria CA7 8PA

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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

The nursery is well led and managed and children are safe and well cared for. There is a clear and precisely implemented curriculum for children's personal, social and emotional development. This provides children with an excellent foundation for building secure attachments, respectful relationships and developing a positive sense of themselves. From young babies, children very quickly develop strong bonds with staff. As children move through the nursery, they continue to develop these relationships and begin to understand their emotions. When children reach preschool, they are brimming with confidence and self-assurance and are wonderful friends to one another.

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The provision is good

Staff ensure all children, including those who may need additional support, are provided with an ambitious curriculum. The manager, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, acts swiftly to ensure children receive the professional support they need. The manager and staff fully understand the needs of the children and plan the curriculum to meet these. As a result, children are engaged in their learning, keen to lead their own play and make good progress.

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The provision is good

Staff are good role models and help children to understand the expectations of their behaviour. Throughout the day, staff discuss, including with children, the routine, what is happening next and what this means for the children. This helps children to feel valued and included while promoting their feelings of familiarity and security.

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need to do better?

n The manager has a good understanding of what she wants children to learn. This is well informed from secure knowledge of children's needs and effectively builds on their knowledge and skills over time. Children make good progress in their learning and are well prepared for school. n In the main, intentions for children's learning are well shared with staff, who implement the curriculum with great success. This is particularly the case for children's personal, social and emotional development. However, some aspects of the curriculum are less well understood by staff. As a result, these areas lack consistent implementation and are not as highly effectively sequenced for all children as they move through the nursery. n Overall, children's communication and language skills are promoted very well. Staff sing with children and read stories as part of the daily routine. Young children enjoy using finger puppets that staff provide to add interest and

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need to do better?

engagement for children as they sing. Older children use a wide vocabulary as they talk about the names of the flowers they have been exploring. Children become confident and able communicators.

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need to do better?

13 March 2024 n All children benefit from the strong settling-in procedures. Key persons work closely with parents from the very start, with a focus on understanding the needs of the child and family. As a result, all children, including babies, are happy, content and responsive to the learning opportunities available. n Children are supported in their understanding of healthy lifestyles. They learn about good oral health, why it's important to wash their hands and healthy diet choices. This good understanding supports children in leading their own healthy lifestyles. n Children's confidence and feelings of security enable a curious mind. They independently stretch their imaginations as they add resources to their play from around the room. They enthusiastically accept challenges, such as finding the matching amount of items to the numbers printed on the flower pictures. These skills are of great importance as children continue their education.

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need to do better?

n There is good support in place for staff, including for their professional development and practice. Strategies, such as peer observations and feedback from the manager, help staff to continually improve their teaching. Good opportunities for training further support staff in the development of their skills and knowledge that then impact on the quality of education for children. n The manager and staff team work well together to ensure children are kept safe. The premises are secure and subject to frequent risk assessment. Staff are confident in how to respond to a safeguarding concern and how to follow nursery procedures for accident reporting. Children are well cared for and their safety is prioritised.

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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 share intentions for all aspects of the curriculum so that staff have a firm and common understanding and what it means for their practice.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY545438 Local authority Cumberland Inspection number 10336462 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 35 Number of children on roll 142 Name of registered person Bolton Low Houses Childcare Unit CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01697344462 Date of previous inspection 17 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Blh Childcare Unit registered in 2017 and is run by a charitable incorporated organisation. It is located in Wigton, Cumbria. The setting employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications, including three staff with qualified teacher status. The setting opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 5.30pm during term time and 8am until 5pm during school holidays. The setting provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to and communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 carried out a joint observation of group activity with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n Parents and grandparents shared their views of the setting 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

13 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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