Octopus Children's Daycare

Inspection of Octopus Children's Daycare Burnham-on-Sea Community Infant School, Winchester Road, BURNHAM-ON-SEA, Somerset TA8 1JD

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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, engaged and confident in the setting. They have good relationships with the staff and enjoy their interactions. Children settle quickly and are eager to take part in the activities. They demonstrate how emotionally secure they feel. They have a good understanding of the staff's expectations, such as hanging their coats up and helping to tidy up and prepare tables for snack.

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The provision is good

Staff make full use of the available outdoor space, ensuring that children who prefer to learn outdoors have good opportunities to experience all areas of the curriculum. Children are active learners. For example, young children enjoy scooping and pouring rice. Older children use scarves to make large arm movements, and manipulate dough, building their muscles ready for writing.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum, which they implement well, focusing successfully on embedding children's prime areas of development. Through effective partnerships with teachers and parents, staff help children to make good progress, preparing them well for school. Children become confident learners with good language skills and the ability to make friends. They enjoy taking part in activities and are willing to have a go at new experiences.

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need to do better?

n Leaders ensure that staff monitor children's development effectively. They use the information they gather from parents and their own observations to understand what children already know and can do, and what they need to learn next. They quickly identify where children may need additional support, and plan successfully to narrow any gaps in their development. n Staff plan using children's fascinations to motivate their learning. For example, they use dinosaurs to help children learn about mathematical concepts and complicated vocabulary. However, they occasionally over prepare adult-led craft activities, not always extending children's creativity and learning opportunities as fully as they could. n Children are confident communicators. Staff provide strong support for children's language skills. They give children time to think, help older children to recall previous experiences, and correct mispronounced words. Children develop a love

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need to do better?

of books. They are keen for staff to read to them, and enjoy retelling stories with props or taking on the character roles themselves, helping them to remember more. n The strong key-person system ensures that children feel secure and receive good support, enabling them to feel confident to take part in activities and develop a positive attitude to learning. Overall, children behave well. Staff quickly intervene if there are minor disagreements, and comfort any upset child.

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need to do better?

13 November 2024 However, staff do not always help children to understand their emotions or help older children to consider ways to resolve conflict for themselves. n Staff make good use of routines to help children to become increasingly independent. For example, toddlers start to manage putting on and taking off their coats, so that by the time they start pre-school they need little help. Older children find their lunch bags and open fruit and packages. Staff encourage children to do as much as they can for themselves. They support children well so they keep trying and are pleased when they achieve. n Children learn the benefits of good health and hygiene practices. They help themselves to fresh drinking water to stay hydrated. Older children manage their personal needs and wash their hands independently. Children learn how to keep themselves safe, on and off the premises. n The leadership team effectively monitors and evaluates their practice, which

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need to do better?

ensures good-quality care and learning for children. For example, staff now provide greater support for children's mathematical development. Leaders focus staff's training and development to benefit the children. For example, those responsible for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have been learning about brain development. n Parents are positive about the setting. They confirm that there is good communication, including daily opportunities to talk to their child's key person. They comment on how well staff work with them to be consistent for children, such as when potty training. Leaders provide good support for families who may have challenges, helping to ensure that all children receive good experiences.

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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 focus staff development on providing greater support for children to understand their emotions and enable older children to learn to resolve conflict for themselves n improve adult-planned art and craft activities, to extend children's creativity and challenge older children's learning more effectively.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY374124 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10364156 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 28 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Burnham Infants Pre School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01278 793331 Date of previous inspection 29 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Octopus Children's Daycare registered in 2008. The provision operates from rooms in a purpose-built children's centre within the grounds of Burnham-on-Sea Infant School, Somerset. The provision opens from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 8am to 3.30pm on Friday, during term time only. There are 10 members of staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status and another holds an appropriate qualification at level 6. There are seven staff who hold an early years qualification at level 3 and one at level 2. The setting offers government funded places.

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Inspection activities

n The manager, early years teacher and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at convenient times, and observed the quality of teaching, indoors and outdoors, assessing the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and inspector conducted a joint observation of the quality of teaching and learning during a small-group activity with older children. n The inspector spoke with parents and children, taking account of all their views. n The manager and inspector discussed the leadership of the setting, and the inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

13 November 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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