Wem Playmates Nursery

Inspection of Wem Playmates Nursery Unit 1, Wem Business Park, New Street, Wem, SHREWSBURY SY4 5JX

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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 manager makes full use of the outdoors to deliver their curriculum. Children relish the opportunities for the play experiences within the nursery outdoor premises and their woodland play area. Staff plan purposeful activies based on children's recent play interests to support their learning. Toddlers eagerly observe and discuss the changes in the wormery they have recently helped to build. They use their understanding of shapes as they gather natural resources to create faces. Children show high levels of motivation, particularly while they play outdoors.

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The provision is good

The manager provides children with a wide range of opportunities to be physically active and to develop their muscle strength. Babies climb in and out of the large sand pit and develop their confidence to balance as they travel across a wide beam. Pre-school children can attend swimming lessons and dance sessions.

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The provision is good

Children have formed strong attachments to the staff and enjoy their company. Children show they feel happy, safe and secure in their care. Staff follow rigorous risk assessments to ensure that children's safety is paramount on the many outings they organise. The manager ensures high staff to child ratios to support these daily enhancements to children's development. Children understand staff's expectations for their behaviour and sensibly walk with them during outings. The manager varies the weekly activities to provide children with equal opportunities so they can all access the broad range of learning experiences.

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need to do better?

n The manager, who is also the provider, is committed to making ongoing improvements that benefit children. For example, she has detailed plans to further enhance children's outdoor learning provision. n The manager provides staff with ongoing professional development. All staff complete frequent training to update their safeguarding knowledge and first-aid skills. The manager completes daily learning walks and monitors the quality of teaching. However, this has not been fully effective in identifying where staff need more guidance to consistently provide children with the highest level of teaching and learning experiences, particularly with the older children. n The manager has identified some clear learning progression aims as children meet key development milestones. The curriculum for babies is well designed and gives staff a clear direction for their assessment and teaching. However, the manager has not precisely identified how to help older children to build on their

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need to do better?

knowledge and skills to challenge them fully in their learning. n An effective key person system ensures that children's needs are met well. Each child has a dedicated key person to liaise with their families and have a comprehensive understanding of their personalities, health and development

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need to do better?

20 May 2024 requirements. Overall, staff make good use of their observations and assessments to plan for children's learning. n The manager and staff are proactive in identifying when children are not meeting their development milestones and need additional support. They work closely with outside agencies so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need. Staff are skilled in implementing children's targeted support plans. They use a variety of effective strategies that support children's ability to communicate their needs and wishes. n Staff provide children with good interactions that enhance children's play interests. They illustrate rhymes and babies point to the pictures as they sing along with them. Staff recognise when to adjust their language to support children at different stages of their development. n Staff successfully promote children's critical thinking and reasoning skills. They

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need to do better?

know how to adjust their questioning to encourage children to find solutions to problems. This supports children to be confident and independent learners. Staff skilfully weave mathematical exploration into their teaching. Pre-school children enthusiastically compare the size of the buildings in their drawings. They learn how to use a tape measure to find out how tall they are. n Staff adapt their teaching and recognise opportunities when they can support children's social skills. For example, as they invite other children to join in with their play. Staff positively reinforce children's good behaviour, such as sharing resources with a friend. Pre-school children play collaboratively. n Staff support children's independence well and adapt the routines in each room so children have the opportunities to gain confidence in their own abilities. This includes managing lunchtime routines and their personal care needs.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff value their partnership working with parents and encourage two-way conversations about children's development. Parents are pleased with the progress their children make and the support that staff provide.

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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 revise the curriculum so that this precisely identifies the knowledge and skills the children need to gain as they progress n increase the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning to ensure that staff provide children with the highest quality of education throughout the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY454398 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10347049 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 50 Number of children on roll 110 Name of registered person Wem Playmates Nursery Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01939 233 643 Date of previous inspection 24 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Wem Playmates Nursery registered in 2012. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold qualified teacher status, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and three hold level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round except for two weeks at Christmas and a week in August. Sessions are from 8am until 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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children interacted 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 nominated individual/registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inspection activities

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 with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector 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

20 May 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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