Sunflowers Southport Ltd

Inspection of Sunflowers Southport Ltd 29 Dover Road, Southport PR8 4TB

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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

A caring, friendly and well-established staff team greet children warmly into the nursery. Children are happy and feel safe and secure. Staff offer cuddles to children who seek out comfort when they are unsure. Staff create a welcoming and friendly environment, with a broad range of activities to spark children's interest and curiosity. The leadership team has developed a clear curriculum and supports staff to be clear about what they want children to learn. Staff enthusiastically join in children's play. They provide children with a variety of experiences based on children's likes and interests. Children have a voice, such as when staff involve them in choosing the books to read and songs to sing at circle time. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points in development.

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The provision is good

Children learn about respect, values and morals through the nursery's key 'promises'. Staff instil simple, yet consistent, and effective boundaries for children's behaviour. These include 'kind hands', 'good tidying', 'kind words' and 'good listening'. Children are proud to add their photo to the display when they have carried out a promise. As a result, they learn to regulate their own behaviour. Children talk about these promises during their play and remind their friends, for example, by saying, 'You are a kind friend.'

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need to do better?

n Staff create an inclusive environment, implementing strategies that meet children's individual learning needs. Staff in all rooms across the nursery use visual timetables and objects of reference to support children's understanding of transitions within the daily routine. n The key-person arrangements are effective in helping to support individual children to settle and provide targeted next steps in their learning. Parents and carers comment that they are well informed, there is good communication and that they know their child's key person and next steps in learning. As a result, parent partnership is strong. n Children benefit from time spent outdoors in the extensive garden. They particularly enjoy playing with water. Children work in pairs to collect water from the pump. They use their strength and coordination as they turn the wheel to activate the pump and others hold the container. This supports children's

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need to do better?

physical skills. n Staff promote children's respectful behaviours and awareness of being fair, such as taking turns, sharing and using good manners. Children show understanding of these. For example, they say 'please' and 'thank you' and 'you are welcome' at appropriate times. n Children demonstrate a love of stories. They anticipate what might happen next in the book and can recite familiar phrases and refrains. Older children learn

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need to do better?

9 April 2025 about the role of an author and an illustrator. They recall that the illustrator 'draws the pictures' and the author 'writes the words'. This supports their ongoing literacy development. n Staff provide a commentary on children's play and introduce new descriptive language, such as 'crumbled', 'sieve' and 'sprinkle', when playing in the sand. This helps children to build their vocabulary and knowledge. n Children learn how to look after plants, including fruit and vegetables. They help to plant potatoes. Staff quiz them on what they will need to help the potatoes grow, praising children when they say water or sunshine. This helps children to learn where food comes from. n In general, children follow good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands after using the toilet and before they eat their meals and snacks. However, good hygiene practices are not followed consistently. For example, staff do not ensure

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need to do better?

that young children wash their hands after nappy change routines. This does not help to fully support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. n Leaders support staff well through training, modelling and mentoring. Staff have opportunities to reflect on their practice during supervision meetings and plan how they can continue to improve. In addition, staff undertake training as a team. For example, they have worked together to achieve the Attachment and Trauma Sensitive Setting Award, which is a nationally recognised award.

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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 ensure that staff follow hygiene and handwashing routines consistently to fully support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2715713 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 10380742 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person Sunflowers (Southport) LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 01704564319 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Sunflowers Southport Ltd registered in 2022. It is situated in Southport. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 4, eight staff hold qualifications at level 3 and two staff hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.45am to 5.45pm. The nursery offers government funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The provider joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The provider and the inspector carried out a joint observation. 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

9 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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