Cuddles and Care Day Nursery

Inspection of Cuddles and Care Day Nursery 177 Leigh Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 9DW

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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 arrive at the setting with gusto. Staff are caring and welcome children with enthusiasm. Children separate from their parents with ease and quickly settle into their play, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. Children form close connections with staff and other children. Babies show that they have meaningful attachments with their key person as they seek reassurance when unfamiliar adults enter the room. After some soothing words from staff, babies' confidence returns, and they re-engage in their play.

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The provision is good

Staff provide children with many opportunities to develop their early mathematical skills. For example, toddlers learn about quantity and weight as they pour oats into different-sized containers. Toddlers learn that containers that are full with oats are heavier than those that contain less. Older children learn about simple subtraction and addition as staff model 'one more', 'one less' and 'total amount'. This helps children develop a secure understanding that number has value.

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The provision is good

Staff help children develop their resilience as they provide activities that pose challenge. For example, children test their aim as they take turns to throw beanbags into a bucket. Some children who find this activity tricky persevere with success, while others think critically and move closer to the bucket, making the task easier to achieve. Staff allow children to find their own solutions before stepping in and offering support. This helps children develop positive attitudes towards their learning.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff create a curriculum that is ambitious and built around children's individual needs. Staff know the children well and plan precise next steps that successfully build their knowledge and skills over time. Leaders use practice-monitoring tools well to identify staff training needs. For example, staff have recently completed training to enhance children's access to mathematics. Children are now making good levels of progress in this learning area. n Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from a language-rich environment. For example, staff use communication aids, such as objects of reference, well to support those who are developing their speech. This ensures all children have a 'voice'. Staff working in the pre- school area ask children lots of open-ended questions, which helps to strengthen children's language skills and develops their vocabulary. This helps children to

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need to do better?

become effective communicators. n Staff carefully plan a range of well-sequenced activities that provide children with the physical skills they will need for their eventual move to school. For example, babies develop their core and arm strength as they stand and create

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need to do better?

24 January 2025 large movements while making marks with chalk. Older children and staff have immense fun as they sing loudly while strengthening their hand muscles with dough. Children concentrate as they follow the instructions in the songs. They practise a variety of movements as they squish, roll, pinch, pound and prod dough in time with the music. This helps children develop the physical skills they will need for future writing. n Staff help children learn how to keep themselves and others safe and healthy. For example, toddlers learn effective handwashing techniques as they cover their hands with soap to see how many bubbles they can make. Toddlers concentrate as they cover each part of their hands with the soapy mixture, leaving their hands 'nice and clean'. Staff help children learn about risk. For example, after lunch, staff place 'wet floor' signs around the area. Staff explain to children what

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need to do better?

the signs mean and why these are important. Children learn that when the floor is wet, it is slippery and can cause slips and falls. Staff's clear explanations help children secure their knowledge. n Overall, children behave well. They follow instructions, show respect for their toys and are kind and considerate. Staff embed the rules well and refer to these regularly when reminding children of the boundaries. This helps some children gain a secure understanding of what is expected of them. However, on occasion, staff do not always fully explain why some behaviours, such as putting feet on the table during mealtimes, are unwanted. This means that some children need more frequent reminders than others before they understand the consequences of their actions. n On the whole, leaders and staff work in partnership with parents and professionals. For example, the effective relationships staff build with teachers

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need to do better?

from local schools help children to transition with ease. Staff work closely with parents, building positive and trusting relationships. In the main, parents report that they are happy with the care and learning their children receive. However, not all parents felt well informed about the progress their children make. This reduces the opportunities parents have to extend their children's learning at home.

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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 help children gain a deeper understanding of why rules are important by providing clear and consistent explanations

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should:

24 January 2025 n provide parents with regular updates on children's progress, so they can fully support children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY320160 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10372416 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 33 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Jayne Sergeant & Gail Rolfe Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 02380 394031 Date of previous inspection 17 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Cuddles and Care Day Nursery is privately owned. It registered in 2006 and operates near the centre of Eastleigh. It is open each weekday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for those who are eligible. All of the 11 staff who work directly with the children hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The owner holds early years professional status, and one of the managers holds a foundation degree in leadership and management.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the provision and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to managers, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector sampled written feedback from parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

24 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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