The Lawns Children's Nursery

Inspection of The Lawns Children's Nursery Hardy House, 32 Chubbs Lawn, Middle Path, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 8BH

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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 the nursery. They confidently explore the welcoming and well-designed environment, making choices about their play and learning. Children form strong bonds with the friendly and approachable staff, who know them well. Children develop their skills across a balanced curriculum, which prepares them well for school. They gain good independence. They confidently place finished drawings in their bag, without assistance.

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The provision is good

Children greatly enjoy the opportunities to be outside and physically active. They engage well in chasing games, carefully negotiating the space and avoiding collisions. Children play cooperatively, building obstacle courses together. They think about which pieces to use and test their ideas. They think about safe ways to cross the obstacle course, with some crawling and some jumping, and take turns. Children understand the effect that exercise has on their bodies. They comment that they need to remove their coats as they have become 'too hot'.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy songs and stories that help them to build their vocabulary. For example, young children listen to a rhyming story, 'Rumble in the Jungle'. They predict who they might see next and make the corresponding animal sounds. For the most part, young children listen well.

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need to do better?

n Staff design a curriculum that focuses on children's interests and what they need to learn next. Staff adapt the curriculum well to include all children and enable them to engage at their level of development. Staff promptly assess children's needs. They put relevant support plans in place when needed, and initiate professional conversations to secure additional funding. There are ongoing discussions with schools to enable a smooth transition so that children settle quickly. n Staff engage in regular training and receive effective support and guidance from the management team. For example, there has been a strong focus on 'emotional coaching' in response to helping children self-regulate and make good choices. Consequently, children behave well. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to devise relevant behavioural support plans to provide consistent approaches to managing behaviour.

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need to do better?

n Overall, staff use daily routines well to help children settle and feel safe. For example, children engage well in the 'welcome' song and enjoy talking about how they feel before hanging their photograph on the 'emotion tree'. Those children who feel sad receive a cuddle and reassurance that their parent will return soon. However, staff do not always use known and tried strategies, such as visual reminders, consistently to help children understand what is happening

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need to do better?

15 August 2024 now and next to enable them to understand expectations. n Staff use small-group activities well to help children build their skills. For example, children continue to develop their small-muscle skills by using tweezers to pick up the dinosaurs to place in a matching coloured bowl. Children count their dinosaurs confidently. However, staff do not always challenge the older and most-able children to build on their competency in counting, for example, to introduce early calculation skills. n There are good partnerships with parents to ensure that staff meet children's individual needs successfully. This is particularly evident in the support for children's special dietary requirements and medical needs. Staff gather a wealth of information from parents when children start at the setting to help them settle quickly. Staff share ongoing information regularly, such as during handovers, stay-and-play sessions and through the online information-sharing system.

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need to do better?

n Staff are vigilant about safeguarding children and understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff record, report and share information, working closely with other agencies to enable children and their families to receive the support they need promptly. n The provider has a good overview of the quality of children's experiences in the nursery. They regularly evaluate and track children's progress and gain feedback from staff and parents. This helps to influence the action plan to improve the quality even further, such as by developing children's knowledge of letters and sounds.

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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 the organisation of small-group times to ensure that children are challenged and remain focused on their learning n develop staff consistency in applying the nursery's chosen strategies to develop children's understanding of routines and expectations for focused group times.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY479731 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10350986 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 24 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person The Lawns Childrens Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01460 73444 Date of previous inspection 24 September 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Lawns Children's Nursery registered in 2014. It is situated in Crewkerne, Somerset. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. There are 11 members of staff. Of these, the provider holds early years professional status, one member of staff holds a qualification at level 5, six hold a qualification at level 3, one holds a qualification at level 2 and one is an apprentice.

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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 took the inspector on a learning walk and they discussed the curriculum intent. n The inspector spoke with parents and children during the inspection, and read parents' testimonials and considered their views. n The inspector observed staff's interactions with children and discussed their learning. n The inspector conducted professional discussions with the leadership and management team and staff, including the designated lead for safeguarding and special educational needs coordinator. n A sample of documentation was observed and discussed.

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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 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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