The Friendly Fish Nursery

Inspection of The Friendly Fish Nursery 5 Selborne Place, Selborne Road, Littlehampton BN17 5NH

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children settle quickly in the nursery, where there is a clear community atmosphere. The kind and caring staff team makes good use of local amenities to enhance children's experiences. For example, they visit the beach and have discussions with the lifeguard and also go fruit picking, taking their harvest back to the nursery to bake with the chef. Children also learn about caring for their environment, such as through litter picking. Children share their opinions and views. For example, older children attend the pre-school council meeting where they help to decide on new equipment and resources.

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy being in the garden. They mix with children from the other age groups, enabling siblings to play together. Children show great skill in balancing on the beams and confidently ask for help. Toddlers delight in exploring the sand in the 'sandy shed', understanding that their pot containing the sand is 'heavy'. Babies become animated during singing sessions and show that they have learned the actions. For example, they readily point to the parts of their body when singing 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'. Pre-school children conduct experiments and notice the changes to resources. For example, they observe what happens when they add dried herbs to the yellow play dough. They recognise that the herbs turned the dough green.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have overhauled the planning for the curriculum since the last inspection. They worked hard to identify aspects for improvement and devised an effective system that works for the staffing team. The process now in place enables staff to make the best use of what they know about each child's development and interests. In turn, this helps children to feel safe, have fun and thrive at the nursery. n Staff seek information from parents about what children know, understand and can do. They request details about children's home lives, cultures and heritages. This enables staff to plan activities and experiences for all children to embrace and celebrate differences and similarities. n Leaders create an effective working environment where staff morale is good and there is a clear team ethos. Leaders evaluate and recognise staff's individual qualities effectively and use individual meetings to plan training needs. This

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need to do better?

helps to strengthen staff's knowledge. However, staff do not always consider that a part of the sequence of learning, for some children, may not have been embedded. This does not further enhance children's independence skills. n Staff have a clear understanding of what each child needs to learn next, and they use this during their interactions with them. They recognise appropriate levels of challenge for each child and plan this into the activities and experiences

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need to do better?

24 September 2024 they offer. This helps each child to make the progress that they are capable of. n Staff encourage children to develop a love of books from a young age. Children learn to turn the pages of the book. Babies babble, telling the story to staff who respond effectively to support their understanding of the flow of a conversation. However, staff do not always make sure that children learning to communicate can see their faces to enhance their understanding of muscle movements. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff are fully respectful of parents' wishes and provide them with information. This enables them to play a full part in their child's care and education. Parents comment about the good levels of communication from the staff team. They report that they can see the impact of changes on the learning outcomes for their children. n Staff show children respect from the start. They seek children's permission to

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need to do better?

change their clothing and wait until they give this. Staff support children to develop good social skills and awareness of others. Children help to make things for their friends and work together to keep their environment tidy. n There is good provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work with parents and professionals to ensure the earliest identification of gaps in children's development. This approach enables staff to secure equipment and resources to support individual children's needs. Leaders use additional funding to good effect to help swiftly close gaps in learning. n Staff plan the environment effectively to support children to practise their new- found skills. For example, staff make sure that they position equipment to allow babies to pull themselves up to standing and begin to take their first steps. This supports their physical development. n Staff support children to learn about taking turns with great calmness. With

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need to do better?

support, toddlers ask their friends if they can have a turn next. After a short time thinking, they then offer over the item. This helps children to learn the tricky skill of sharing.

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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 build on the sequence of learning to enhance children's independence skills even further n strengthen staff's awareness of the importance of young children's ability to view staff's facial movements to enhance their early communication skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2727667 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10353474 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 61 Number of children on roll 110 Name of registered person Barnkids Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07713324283 Date of previous inspection 10 May 2024

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Information about this early years setting

The Friendly Fish Nursery re-registered in 2023 and was bought out by another company in February 2024. The nursery employs 23 staff, 14 of whom hold an appropriate qualification. The nursery is open each weekday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector carried out a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke with staff and interacted with children. n Parents shared their views about the setting with the inspector. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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Inspection activities

24 September 2024 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

24 September 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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