Handkerchief Day Nursery

Inspection of Handkerchief Day Nursery High Street, Kegworth, Derby DE74 2DA

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery. Even the youngest children show excitement as they get ready to play in the exciting outdoor environment. Staff provide supervision and support as pre-school children use their muscles to climb trees and rope ladders safely. Babies access activities which have been thoughtfully placed at different levels to encourage them to gain confidence when on their feet. As a result, babies pull themselves up and independently access sand and water play. Staff and toddlers work together to create an obstacle course. Toddlers develop their balance, taking turns to jump in and out of hula hoops carefully. Staff suggest more hoops would make the obstacle course longer. Toddlers eagerly search the play area, gathering more hoops for their friends to use.

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The provision is good

Pre-school children readily work with staff to make play dough. Staff talk to children about the ingredients they are using to make the dough smell. For example, children learn that the flower they are using is named 'buddleia'. Children follow instructions, carefully using spoons to lift out flour from a packet and cups to measure out and pour water and oil into large bowls. Staff encourage children to work with friends and help each other mix the ingredients together with wooden spoons. This helps children learn to cooperate with others and helps develop the muscles they need for early writing.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers have taken a positive approach to addressing the weaknesses raised at the previous inspection. They have developed staff practice to ensure a secure understanding of risks that children may be exposed to in the environment. In addition, staff now ensure group time with children takes place in appropriate spaces in the nursery. This has helped support children's safety and their good health. n Staff provide activities in the daily routine to help children develop their early independence skills. Pre-school children are encouraged to take turns serving themselves at lunchtime and pouring their own drinking-water. Staff help toddlers learn important self-care skills, such as wiping their noses with tissues and washing their faces and hands after mealtimes. This helps children do as much as possible for themselves. n Staff know their key children well, including what makes them unique. This

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need to do better?

includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff determine appropriate next steps and understand how to embed these within children's play. However, at times, staff do not deploy themselves well enough. This means children sometimes lack the support needed from staff to engage in meaningful learning and play.

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need to do better?

8 May 2025 n Staff develop positive relationships with parents. Parents say staff provide regular feedback on their child's progress. They say their children are excited to attend the setting and have made early friendships. Parents state that their children are developing in confidence and language skills. They feel their children are well supported and ready for the next stage in their education. n Staff help children to develop their language and communication skills. During play, babies readily babble back and forth with staff as if in simple conversation. Toddlers are thrilled as they search outside with staff to find bugs. Children are helped to understand where the bugs live and how to be careful with them. Pre- school children experiment by mixing salt in water. They notice the salt has disappeared, and staff explain the salt has 'dissolved'. This helps develop children's growing curiosity about the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Overall, staff are good role models. They encourage children to use their manners and share resources. Children remember and follow simple rules. For example, children politely ask for an adult to supervise them when using the trampoline. However, some staff do not always help children understand what is expected of them. On these minor occasions, some staff wait for more confident staff to deal appropriately with unwanted behaviour, or they give in to children's demands to appease them.

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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 strengthen the deployment of staff to provide consistent and purposeful interactions for children, which build on their existing skills and knowledge n help staff to understand and implement consistent behaviour management strategies, which build on children's understanding of behaviour expectations.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY347142 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10402743 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 110 Number of children on roll 159 Name of registered person Child's Time Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01509 642100 Date of previous inspection 10 December 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Handkerchief Day Nursery is based in Kegworth, Leicestershire. It registered in 2007. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, with sessions from 7am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged nine months to four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observations of a group activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

8 May 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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