St Albans Little Learners C I C

Inspection of St Albans Little Learners C I C St Albans Church Hall, Finstock Avenue, Blurton, Staffordshire ST3 3JS

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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 show that they feel secure and happy to attend the nursery as they smile at staff, and their friends welcome them with a 'good morning'. Children understand what staff expect of them as they place their belongings safely on their pegs. Staff plan and implement an ambitious curriculum that is designed to give all children the skills, knowledge and understanding that they need for their future learning. All staff are ambitious for children to become independent, confident, curious learners. Staff are very caring and provide a calm, reassuring approach for children. They focus on nurturing children's well-being and encourage them to share and play cooperatively. Staff act as positive role models as they calmly interact with the children and use praise to celebrate achievements. This contributes to supporting children's self-esteem and confidence and supports them to try new experiences.

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The provision is good

Children are developing physical skills as they dig with spades, ride, run and balance outdoors. They collect leaves with their rakes and empty them into buckets of varying sizes. Children develop their core strength as they practise large arm movements while drawing on chalkboards. Staff deploy themselves well to ensure that children are supervised effectively, and so that they can build on the learning that they see taking place.

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need to do better?

n The curriculum is carefully sequenced from the baby room through to pre-school to extend what children already know. Staff use children's interests to plan learning experiences. As a result, children confidently lead their own play, choosing where and what they want to do next. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and make good progress. Staff accurately assess children's progress and plan engaging activities to encourage good achievement in all aspects of their learning. n Staff and children are aware of the main routines of the day. However, there are occasions when some routines are not organised well enough. Younger children spend time waiting for their packed lunch to be prepared. This does not always keep children actively engaged in learning. As a result, they become distracted and miss opportunities to participate in high-quality interactions with staff. Their listening and attention skills are not fully supported at these times.

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need to do better?

n Children are encouraged to be independent from an early age. They have opportunities to make independent choices, select the resources that they would like to play with and develop their own ideas about how to use them. Toddlers learn to wipe their noses and dispose of the tissues. Pre-school children spread butter on their toast, get their drink from the dispenser and conscientiously tidy their things away.

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need to do better?

6 December 2024 n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are very happy with the nursery. They say that staff communicate well, and they feel informed about their child's time in the setting. Parents receive updates on their child's progress. They report that their children are happy and excited to come to the nursery. Parents comment that children are well prepared for school when the time comes. n Children's understanding of mathematics is developing well. Staff teach children mathematics using fun and exciting methods that enable all children to be fully engaged in learning. For instance, children collect pom-poms with tweezers and count them as they place them into the container. They discuss 'full', 'empty', 'over', 'under', 'more' and 'less'. n Each room has a book of the month and children become familiar with stories, joining in with the familiar refrains, such as in the book 'We're Going on a Bear

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need to do better?

Hunt'. Overall, the staff read stories with enthusiasm and skill. These early experiences help children to develop a love of books. Pre-school children listen with interest and share their predictions about the story. However, not all staff adapt their teaching to support the youngest children. For example, babies and toddlers are expected to sit and listen to stories with limited opportunities to join in. n Staff promote children's health and well-being. Children enjoy daily fresh air and exercise in the nursery's outdoor space. Leaders work with parents to promote healthy lunch boxes. At lunchtime, staff and children sit together and chat about the food in their lunch boxes and how it helps them to be healthy and the importance of drinking water regularly. n Leaders recognise the importance of regular professional development and work in partnership with the local authority to plan relevant training. They provide

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need to do better?

staff with supervisory sessions and feedback on their overall practice. Leaders and staff clearly enjoy their work and have considerate, positive relationships with each other, children, and parents.

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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 consider the organisation of some daily routines to ensure that children are not waiting for prolonged periods and get the very best from their learning n support babies and toddlers to join in during group activities to help them make the best possible progress in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY385005 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10361995 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 40 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person St Albans Little Learners Nursery CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 367470 Date of previous inspection 21 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

St Albans Little Learners CIC registered in 2008. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, two hold level 5, three hold level 3 and two hold level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and room leaders completed a learning walk with the inspector and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed 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

6 December 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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