North Road Nursery

Inspection of North Road Nursery North Road Academy, North Road, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire ST6 2BP

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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 are happy and enjoy their time at this inclusive setting. Staff are kind and nurturing. They warmly greet children and their parents when they arrive, helping children to settle quickly. Leaders and staff have developed a curriculum that focuses on providing children with a range of new opportunities that enhance their personal experiences. Children explore their local community and enjoy trips to the local park and mosque. Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play. They run freely and enjoy the open space available to them. They develop their confidence and strength as they climb and balance on the equipment.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from a well-thought-out learning environment, enhanced by interesting and creative resources that staff provide. This allows children to confidently lead their own play. For example, older children freely access paints and a range of mark-making tools. They paint sunflowers and remember that they had seen them on a recent trip to the park. They discuss the colours they create as they mix the paints together.

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The provision is good

Children form good relationships with staff and with their peers. Staff set clear routines and boundaries. They gently remind children of the golden rules that they created together. This helps children to behave well and know what to expect next.

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need to do better?

n The passionate and dedicated management team continually reflects on the provision to ensure it meets the needs of children and their families. Staff development is a priority. Regular observations of staff practice and purposeful supervision meetings help staff to understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff speak favourably about the support they receive from the management team in regards to their well-being. n Staff value and promote children's understanding of equality and diversity extremely well. Children and their families take part in a variety of multicultural celebrations, including the setting's recent 'diversity day'. Role play areas across the setting include items from children's homes, creating familiar environments. This helps children to learn about their similarities and differences in enjoyable and meaningful ways. n Staff deliver group activities to support children's learning. A daily 'dough disco'

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need to do better?

session supports children to strengthen their hand muscles by rolling, patting and stretching the dough. Children listen to familiar stories in large groups. Some children role play parts of the story using props. However, sometimes the pace of group activities does not meet the needs of all children. This results in some children becoming disengaged or not having sufficient time to complete the tasks asked of them.

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need to do better?

12 July 2024 n Parents speak extremely highly of the setting and the staff. They describe the setting as a 'home from home' and comment that staff build excellent bonds with children, treating them with love and care. Parents receive regular updates about their children's progress and development. They are thankful for the many opportunities to celebrate special events with their children, for example sports day and graduation. n Overall, staff work effectively to develop children's communication skills. They model language consistently well and regularly sing songs during routine activities. However, on occasion, children are not given opportunities to explore their own ideas or express themselves fully. For example, staff ask children about the differences they observe in the play dough snakes they have modelled. However, staff quickly answer their own question and do not allow children enough time to think and respond. This can limit children's critical

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need to do better?

thinking and response. n Staff incorporate mathematics through everyday experiences. Children learn positional language as they compare what is bigger and smaller. They count blocks during outdoor play, with encouragement from staff to notice what happens when they add more blocks. n Children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. They form close bonds with their key persons and, as a result, their individual needs are met. Parents of children with SEND speak extremely highly of the support they receive from staff and managers.

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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 provide further opportunities for children to develop their critical thinking skills n review the pace of group activities to maximise the learning experiences for all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500155 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10347180 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 60 Number of children on roll 51 Name of registered person North Road Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01782829870 Date of previous inspection 26 September 2018

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Information about this early years setting

North Road Nursery registered in 2016 and is located in Stoke-on-Trent. It is operated by the same provider as the host independent school. The nursery operates during term time only. Sessions run from 8am to 4pm on Monday to Thursday and from 8am to 3pm on Friday. There are 10 childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. 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 managers and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 joint observations of a group activity with the managers. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

12 July 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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