Little Squirrels Play Forest Magdalen

Inspection of Little Squirrels Play Forest Magdalen St Pauls Community Hall, Magdalen Road, Norwich NR3 4LN

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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 arrive happy. They settle quickly and are eager to explore. Leaders and managers have created a welcoming and nurturing environment where stimulating activities to provoke children's curiosity are in abundance. For instance, children make tea and potions as they experiment with water, herbs, tea and fruit. Their physical skills improve as they learn to use tools such as knives to chop fruit and a pestle and mortar to grind ingredients. Staff remain close by to offer support as children master their physical skills. This helps to promote their confidence to try new things.

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The provision is good

Staff build close bonds with children. They provide effective settling-in sessions as well as stay-and-play opportunities, where children and their families explore the setting and get to know the staff. This helps children to settle swiftly in their new learning environment. All children make good progress in their learning. Staff use assessments effectively to identify any gaps in children's learning and take swift action to close these with targeted support.

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The provision is good

Children are confident and resilient. Leaders focus strongly on supporting children's emotional well-being. Daily mindfulness activities help to support children's understanding of their feelings. Staff provide children with strategies, such as breathing techniques and recalling happy thoughts, to help children to regulate their emotions. Through discussions, children learn how to communicate their wishes and feelings with each other. This helps children to develop empathy and supports their understanding of the behavioural expectations of the setting. Children frequently display kind and positive behaviours towards their peers.

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need to do better?

n Staff promote children's communication and language development well. Babies smile and giggle as they enjoy playful interactions of peekaboo and ready steady go. Staff use simple signing along with spoken words to help to build young children's growing vocabulary. Children hear lots of songs and rhymes throughout the day, which are shared with parents for them to sing at home. Staff engage in meaningful discussions with children. They narrate their play and introduce new vocabulary, such as splat and squelch as children explore muddy puddles. n Children access a wide range of books. Staff have introduced focus stories to provide lots of repetition, along with a lending library to share books at home. Books are carefully linked to activities to extend children's learning. For instance, following a minibeast hunt activity, staff share a book on insects. They point out the different features of insects from the illustrations. Children demonstrate high

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need to do better?

levels of engagement and describe marks on butterflies' wings as 'giant eyes'.

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need to do better?

7 April 2025 They listen intently as staff explain these are to deter predators. n Staff make children's learning around safeguarding fun and relevant to their play. Children actively join staff as they complete daily risk assessments. They learn to identify hazards and discuss how to resolve them. For example, the setting has incorporated a 'Risky Robin' poster. This acts as a visual reminder to children that they are in an area where they need to be mindful of potential risks, such as when playing near the swings or the firepit. Children discuss what they know about safety and support each other to stay safe. n Partnerships with parents are strong. They speak positively about their children's experiences at the setting. Parents appreciate the various resources they have access to, such as the parent breakfast station and activity bags and books to take home to share with their children. In addition, parents are invited to

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need to do better?

monthly stay-and-play sessions, which they state helps them to feel included in their children's learning. Parents describe staff as approachable and caring. They value all the outdoor learning their children receive. n Leaders are passionate about their provision. They are reflective and discuss ways to further improve the learning experiences for children in their care. Staff morale is high, and they comment on the supportive environment leaders provide. Staff are well qualified. They receive regular supervision and access a wealth of online training opportunities to build on their good practice. However, staff coaching is not yet sufficient to enable staff to identify areas to improve their practice and share their knowledge and skills with one another.

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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 establish effective coaching methods that support staff to raise the quality of their teaching to a consistently high standard.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2714145 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10376173 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 47 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person Little Squirrels Play Forest Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01603 977818 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Squirrels Play Forest Magdalen registered in 2022 and is situated in Norwich. It employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications, ranging from level 3 to level 7. The setting is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The setting provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss and understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector observed activities indoors and outside and assessed the impact these have on children's learning. n The manager completed a joint observation and evaluation of an activity with the inspector. n Children told the inspector about what they like to do when they are at the setting. n The inspector had discussions with staff at appropriate times during the inspection. She took account of parents' views through verbal and written feedback.

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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

7 April 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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