Spittal Day Nursery

Inspection of Spittal Day Nursery St John's Church Hall, North Greenwich Road, Spittal, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 1RG

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children skip through the door on arrival, happy to see familiar staff and keen to join their friends at play. They invite the inspector to join their games, showing a strong sense of belonging and security in nursery. Staff are vigilant and supervise children well. Children follow staff's consistent guidance and boundaries. They behave well and show kindness and consideration for others. For example, toddlers pass toys to babies, waiting for them to smile in response.

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The provision is good

Staff take account of children's prior experiences when planning for their learning. For example, they provide visits to the park and beach for children who may have fewer opportunities to experience this outside of nursery. The new curriculum has created a stronger focus on helping each child to achieve what they need to learn next. This supports the good progress that all children make. Babies develop their strength, balance and coordination when they roll, throw and kick balls. Toddlers show increasing independence when they clear their own plates after snack. Pre- school children learn to take turns during games in the garden.

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need to do better?

n Children benefit from appealing activities that help them to build on what they already know and can do. Babies develop coordination and dexterity while they trace their fingers through sand and make early attempts at mark making with water. Older children build on their mathematical understanding. They count the number of eyes on the characters they have designed, and talk about patterns while making fruit kebabs. n Staff provide a broad programme of activities that, generally, help children to make good progress. However, plans for children's learning in the pre-school room are, at times, less precise. Occasionally, when pre-school children are joined by older children, activities are play based and centred around children's interests. At these times, staff do not always focus precisely enough on what they want children to learn, to help them to make the best possible progress. n Children enjoy lots of songs and stories that, overall, help them to hear and

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need to do better?

learn new words. However, at times, staff speak very fast, or use language that is too difficult for young children to understand. They do not always give children plenty of time to listen, think and respond to prompts and questions during activities. n Routines, particularly for the youngest children, are personalised to meet children's individual needs. This helps children to feel safe and secure in nursery. Interactions from key staff are warm and supportive. Children who are slightly unsettled on arrival respond quickly to reassurance from staff and join in activities. For example, they begin to giggle as they jump and stretch to pop bubbles.

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need to do better?

8 August 2024 n Staff help children to understand and manage their emotions, for example, by sharing and discussing stories with them. Children learn to articulate how they feel and work through their frustrations. They show kindness to one another. For example, toddlers pass toys to babies, and show delight when it makes them smile. n Parents are very pleased with the care that staff provide and the progress that their children make in their learning. They particularly appreciate the supportive relationships that they and their children have with familiar and consistent staff. Parents receive plenty of feedback. Staff share key information about children's learning and achievements, which helps parents to support children's learning further at home. n The manager has made significant improvements since the last inspection. Following staff training, there have been significant improvements to the indoor

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need to do better?

learning environments. This has led to an increase in children's engagement in activities, and has helped staff to encourage children's positive behaviour more consistently across the nursery. The manager has begun to review and improve the learning experiences that children have in the garden, although these are not embedded. Some children are, at times, less engaged in learning when outdoors.

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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 support staff to maintain their focus on what pre-school children need to learn when planning and implementing activities n help children to make even better progress in their language skills, for example, by modelling new words clearly to children and giving them plenty of time and opportunities to use language in their play n continue with the improvements to the outdoor provision to encourage children's motivation and engagement even more consistently.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY313620 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10332378 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 66 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person Knox, Joanne

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reference number

Telephone number 01289 330644 Date of previous inspection 8 December 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Spittal Day Nursery registered in 1994 and is located in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one member of staff who holds an early years degree. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm, all year round, except for Christmas and bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager showed the inspector around the premises. She talked about the improvements made to the curriculum and the way the provision is organised. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children. She observed staff's teaching and assessed its impact on children's learning. n The manager and deputy manager met with the inspector to discuss leadership and management matters. The inspector looked at the relevant documents provided. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She also spoke to a number of parents 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

8 August 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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