Dots & Tots Nursery

Inspection of Dots & Tots Nursery 5 Petworth Drive, Leicester LE3 9RF

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children show positive relationships with staff. For example, when younger children use both their hands to cover their eyes, staff say 'peekaboo'. Children remove their hands and laugh with staff. Children are supported to persevere when they face challenges in their play. When they struggle to make pieces fit into inset puzzles, staff offer suggestions and give children praise when they fit the pieces correctly. This contributes to helping raise children's self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities.

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The provision is good

Children show an enjoyment of playing with puppets. For instance, when younger children give staff puppets, staff put them on their hands and sing a song about the puppet. When older children find smaller finger puppets, they put them on their fingers and confidently sing songs they know on their own. This shows the progression children make with their speaking skills. Older children have opportunities to join activities that help them to remember and recall favourite stories. For instance, older children use foam and pretend this is cement when they fix toy bricks together to make houses. Staff ask them who is coming to their house, and children reply, 'The big, bad wolf.'

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need to do better?

n Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, staff ask younger children to use both hands when they pour cereal into a tray. Older children choose what food they would like to eat at lunchtime and competently carry their bowl to the table themselves. n Staff share information with parents about their children's day. This includes sending them photos of activities that children enjoy and making them aware of what their children eat during the day. Parents say that they like how staff focus on stories each week, and they have purchased the same books to read to their children at home. This helps to provide consistency for supporting children's literacy and language skills. n Staff support children to follow their interests to extend their learning. For instance, when children like playing with toy cars, staff suggest they make a road for their toy cars, encouraging them to build on their imaginative skills.

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need to do better?

Children concentrate and persevere to fix together pieces of road track, showing their problem-solving skills. n Staff support older children to listen, follow instructions and take turns. For example, children listen to stories, line up and wait their turn to wash their hands prior to having lunch. However, at times, staff do not support other children to understand what is expected of them and the possible consequences of their actions on themselves, their peers and the environment. n The nursery cook and staff offer children a variety of nutritious snacks and

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need to do better?

13 January 2025 meals. This contributes to children receiving healthy foods. Staff help children to identify foods that are good for their bodies. For instance, after staff read stories to children about the colour green, staff ask children what is their favourite green food that is healthy. Children reply, 'broccoli' and are very keen to eat all the broccoli they are given at lunchtime. n Overall, the curriculum to help children build on their communication and language skills is effective. For example, staff name images that younger children see on the pages in books. Older children finish saying sentences in familiar stories. However, staff do not consider a wider range of strategies to help children who speak English as an additional language with their language development. For example, staff do not gather or use key words in children's home language to support children's understanding. n The management team makes changes in the nursery that have a positive

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need to do better?

impact on children's experiences. For example, older children now use the playroom upstairs, where they can access technological devices that will help them learn skills in preparation for their move on to school.

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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 continue to support children to understand what is expected of them and how their behaviours may impact on themselves, their peers and the environment n help staff to develop their interactions with children who speak English as an additional language to support their understanding and language development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2696596 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 10367261 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 34 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Dots & Tots Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01162540944 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dots & Tots Nursery re-registered in 2022 and is situated in Leicester. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of whom, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two at level 2. The nursery opens all year round, from 8am until 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 8am until 4.30pm on Fridays. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged from nine months upwards.

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Inspection activities

n The provider, the manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed how staff implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the provider and the manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their views on the nursery with the inspector.

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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 January 2025 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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