Kiddie Capers, Merlin House

Inspection of Kiddie Capers, Merlin House Merlin House, 6 Boltro Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1BB

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children behave well and show a good attitude towards learning. They are kind and considerate to their friends. For instance, toddlers learn to help each other to access the resources when they are unable to do it on their own. Staff recognise this good behaviour and praise children appropriately. Additionally, staff are effective at supporting children to modify their behaviour. This includes reminding them to use their 'listening ears' when they become distracted during activities. This helps children to develop an understanding of what positive behaviour looks like.

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The provision is good

Staff carefully consider how they can support children to develop their physical skills. For instance, they provide older babies with big soft toys to play with. Babies enjoy picking them up and carrying them around, which supports them to build on their core muscle strength and promotes their coordination.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum. In response to children's emerging needs, leaders have placed a strong focus on promoting children's language skills. Staff implement this effectively in children's daily experiences. For example, staff regularly read and sing to them. Children enjoy joining in with the actions and words, demonstrating their familiarity with these. Staff build on older babies' communication skills by offering them props during activities to help them to convey their choices. Staff name the objects that children have chosen, which supports them to build on their vocabulary.

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need to do better?

n The manager is sensitive to the needs of the children who attend the nursery. She implements effective systems to enable her to identify what she wants children to learn. She successfully shares this with staff, who confidently explain what the focus of learning is for each room. This enables staff to plan well for children's ongoing development. n Staff support children to take appropriate risks. For instance, older children regularly participate in forest school sessions, where they learn how to keep themselves safe. Babies benefit from opportunities to explore and climb over soft play equipment under the close supervision of staff. This promotes children's understanding of how to manage risks for themselves. n Leaders consider ways to broaden the range of experiences that children have access to. For example, children regularly enjoy visits to the local parks and train station. Additionally, leaders invite parents and visitors to attend the setting and

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need to do better?

teach children about different vocations, cultures and traditions. This helps children to extend their knowledge of their world around them. n Staff have good knowledge of their key children. They talk confidently about

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need to do better?

22 July 2024 children's interests and development. They work effectively with parents and other agencies involved in children's care. This helps children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to receive consistent support in their learning. n Teaching is strong overall and staff understand and implement the curriculum effectively. Children enthusiastically join in with activities. For example, toddlers have great fun as they explore shaving foam and learn through exploration of their senses. However, there is some inconsistency in the quality of staff interactions within the nursery. This is because the deployment of staff is not fully effective in ensuring that there is a good balance of experienced and new staff within each room. Although all staff are warm and kind to children, in rooms with more inexperienced and less confident staff, children do not benefit from consistently high-quality interactions. In addition, this does not enable new

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need to do better?

staff to benefit fully from observing the practices of more experienced colleagues to develop their skills. n Staff implement effective strategies to support children with English as an additional language (EAL). For instance, staff help new children with EAL to quickly settle when they become upset by showing them stories in their home language. Children enjoy listening to them on the nursery's electronic devices before engaging in other activities. Additionally, staff learn key words from children's home language which enables them to understand what children are trying to communicate to them. n Parents are happy with the setting and their children enjoy attending. Parents are well informed about their child's progress. Leaders consider ways to support parents to be involved in their child's learning, such as organising parents' evenings and events. This helps to build on partnerships with parents and

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need to do better?

promotes the sharing of appropriate information.

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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 review and improve the arrangements to deploy and support new or less experienced staff within the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2726719 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10355605 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 50 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Kiddie Capers Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07488237545 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Kiddie Capers, Merlin House registered in 2023. It is based in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. The nursery is open 7am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, all year round. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 20 members of staff, one holds a level 4, six hold a level 3 and four hold a level 2 qualification in early years.

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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 manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a phonics activity with the manager. n Parents 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

22 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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