Hunts Cross Nursery

Inspection of Hunts Cross Nursery Hunts Cross Cp School, Kingsthorne Road, LIVERPOOL L25 0PJ

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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

During the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery has had issues with staff retention and recruitment. The newly appointed manager and her team have a clear vision for the nursery. They have identified priorities for children's learning and development, such as supporting children's speech and language development. Staff follow children's interests and use key stories to extend children's vocabulary. Babies babble along to nursery rhymes, and young children confidently recall the tricky names of dinosaurs. Pre-school children describe the hungry caterpillar as 'ginormous'. Children's vocabulary and language structures are developing rapidly.

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The provision is good

Children who speak English as an additional language, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and children in receipt of additional funding are very well supported. The excellent key-person system and accurate use of assessment mean that gaps in children's learning and any specific needs are identified early and acted on quickly. Learning goals in children's education, health and care plans are seamlessly interwoven into all aspects of the curriculum. All children are well prepared for their next steps in learning.

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The provision is good

Staff set clear expectations for behaviour and routines. Consequently, children behave well and work together to tidy their room when the tidy-up song is played. They show consideration for others as they hold doors open when walking along the corridors and politely greet children and staff along the way.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have placed great importance on building the staff team. Parents talk about the improvements that they have seen in the short space of time that the new manager has been in place. Leaders have ensured that all staff, including those who are long term bank staff, have access to online learning platforms to help them to enhance their professional development. All staff say that they feel well supported and staff morale is high. n Overall, staff promote children's knowledge of mathematics well. Staff take many opportunities to support children to count and recognise colours and shapes throughout their daily routines and planned activities. However, when staff in the pre-school room introduce the concept of symmetry to children, they do not do this is in a logical way. Staff use language that is too complex, and do not build on children's knowledge and understanding to consolidate their learning. This

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need to do better?

means that children become confused and are unable to complete the task they are set. n Staff support children to be independent learners. This is evident as young children independently wash their hands and faces after lunch. Pre-school children eat their lunch in the school hall. They skilfully carry their trays to the

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need to do better?

15 May 2024 table and scrape their plates after eating. Furthermore, staff have carefully considered the learning environment to enable all children to self-select resources and initiate their own play. Children are developing the skills they need for the future. n Children enjoy healthy meals and snacks and have access to fresh drinking water. However, managers and staff do not give clear and consistent messages to children that support healthy choices for the care of their teeth. This means that children do not gain a good understanding of the impact that some foods can have on their teeth. n Staff plan many opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. For example, staff provide babies with soft play to enable them to pull themselves up. Toddlers kick and roll large balls to each other. Staff facilitate physical games with large dice, where pre-school children hop the number of times shown on

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need to do better?

the dice. Such activities help to develop children's small- and large-muscle strength. n Children's communication, language and literacy are well supported at this nursery. Children hear an extensive range of words and sounds to extend their speaking and listening skills. Staff weave core stories and adult-led activities throughout the learning environment, which foster children's imagination and creativity. For example, staff create exciting dinosaur play and provide children with back-and-forth commentary to develop their understanding of the natural world. n Leaders failed to notify Ofsted of a recent safeguarding incident. Notifying Ofsted of significant events is a requirement of registration. Leaders fully understand how they have made this error, and had been working with other safeguarding professionals. There was no impact on children's safety and welfare because of breaches to requirements.

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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 ensure that staff consolidate each step of children's learning to build on what they know and have learned so that the process of learning new mathematical concepts is logical n promote the good oral health of all children attending the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY461526 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 10335637 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person Hunts Cross Primary School Governing Body

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reference number

Telephone number 0151 233 3733 Date of previous inspection 22 June 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Hunts Cross Nursery registered in 2013. It is situated in Hunts Cross Primary School in Liverpool. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 5, and two at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks per year. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the setting. 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 about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

15 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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