The Toddler House

Inspection of The Toddler House 146 Crankhall Lane, WEDNESBURY, West Midlands WS10 0ED

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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

Staff provide a warm welcome to all children and families when they arrive at the setting. Children show their excitement when they see their friends and are eager to go and play. From the start of each child's journey, staff spend quality time getting to know their individual needs. This helps develop secure and trusting relationships. Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. For instance, babies eagerly explore sensory trays and are curious about the different objects they find. Staff support this interest by repeating the names of objects, helping to expand children's vocabulary.

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The provision is good

Interactions between staff and children are consistently positive. Staff role model respectful behaviour through a kind and nurturing approach. They encourage children to use good manners when requesting something. For example, when staff ask children if they would like to join an activity, children respond with 'yes please'. Staff reinforce this with a polite reply, embedding respectful communication.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to develop life skills to prepare them for their future learning, such as baking and cooking. For example, children measure and mix ingredients to make cakes for their friends' birthdays. Children learn about different cultural festivals and participate in themed activities. These experiences help children understand the wider world around them.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff maintain strong relationships with parents. Staff share regular updates to keep parents informed about their children's progress and development. Parents speak highly of the level of care and attention their children receive. They comment that their children have thrived since attending. n Staff work in close partnership with parents and external agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff act swiftly when concerns arise and carefully plan tailored support to ensure a consistent approach. When children receive additional funding, staff thoroughly consider how best to use this. This enables all children to access their full entitlement and make progress from their starting points. n Managers support staff well in their roles. Staff attend regular supervision meetings with managers to discuss their well-being and any ongoing training

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need to do better?

needs. Staff state they feel highly valued and speak positively about the support they receive. This motivates staff to deliver high-quality care for all children that attend. n Staff assess and plan activities based on each child's individual next steps. For example, older children sit in small groups to explore letters and sounds. Some children engage in these activities. However, during some routine group times,

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need to do better?

3 June 2025 younger children occasionally struggle to maintain focus and quickly lose interest. This means that not all children always have high levels of engagement in their learning. n Staff motivate children and provide opportunities for children to be physically active. Children enjoy riding on bikes in the garden and climbing the climbing frame. During music and movement sessions, children copy actions, jump to the beat and sing along with enthusiasm. This supports developing coordination and a sense of rhythm. n Staff promote a love of reading from an early age. Babies independently select books and present them to staff to read aloud. Older children confidently join in reading familiar stories. They giggle as they recall and recite parts of the book with staff. These experiences help strengthen their language and communication skills. n Children benefit from a range of experiences that build on their interests. For

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need to do better?

example, children learn about sea life and choose which marine animals to create using modelling clay. They manipulate the clay carefully and show pride in their work. Staff offer praise and discuss the children's creations with them. However, on some occasions, staff do not always extend children's thinking or deepen their understanding beyond what they already know. This means not all staff effectively maximise opportunities to extend children's learning. n Children develop self-care skills and a strong sense of responsibility for living things. They independently wash their hands before mealtimes, demonstrating secure hygiene routines. Children take pride in helping to care for the setting's pet rabbit and African snails. For instance, they help to feed the rabbit with staff support. Children develop an understanding of the importance of spraying water into the snail's enclosure to maintain a suitable habitat. These experiences

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need to do better?

support children's growing empathy and widen their understanding of the natural world.

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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 review further how staff plan and organise daily activities and routines to help support children to maintain high levels of engagement n refine how staff adapt their teaching to help support children to extend their knowledge and understanding even further to maximise their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491540 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 10403919 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 32 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person The Toddler House Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01212185232 Date of previous inspection 22 July 2022

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Information about this early years setting

The Toddler House registered in 2015. The nursery employs nine members of staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, seven hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and there is one apprentice. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery offers the government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children and staff spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n The inspector spoke to several parents and reviewed written feedback during the inspection and took account of their views. 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

3 June 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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