Darwen Children's Centre

Inspection of Darwen Children's Centre Lord Street, Darwen, Lancashire BB3 0HD

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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

The setting provides a welcoming environment for children. Children and families are greeted at the classroom door by staff, who then invite them into a well- resourced provision. Children engage confidently and happily with the staff and their peers as they access planned activities. Children are asked challenging and thought-provoking questions in their play. For instance, as children build Darwen Tower in the construction area, staff ask children, 'What could we use for a light at the top?' This helps children to develop their knowledge further and strengthens their communication skills.

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The provision is good

Children's needs are met swiftly by caring and attentive staff. Staff are quick to respond when children require adult support, such as resolving minor conflicts with their peers. This helps to develop children's confidence with making relationships and ensures they feel settled, secure and ready to learn.

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The provision is good

Children are confident, resilient individuals with a positive approach to learning and exploring. They are receptive to and considerate of their peers' needs and show empathy and patience. Children are taught how to keep themselves healthy as staff model how to brush their teeth, wash their hands and eat healthy foods. Children are encouraged to complete routine tasks independently. For example, they take off their own coats and find their pegs. Children are encouraged to get their own cup and plate for snack time and make their own decisions in their play.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff provide a curriculum specific to children's needs and interests. For example, staff recognise and are responsive to the need for developing children's personal, social and emotional skills. They have therefore tailored their curriculum to support this. However, some routines and transitions are not wholly effective in ensuring that children remain focused and ready to learn. Occasionally, some children become disengaged at group time, and this reflects in their behaviour. n Leaders and staff liaise with local primary schools to gain an understanding of the expected stage of development for starting school. This helps to ensure that teaching is precisely focused. For example, staff provide activities to strengthen children's fine and gross motor abilities. Furthermore, this close partnership work fosters good and effective links between nursery and school. n Staff introduce children to mathematical language as they use a tape measure to

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need to do better?

measure the height of their tower. They are taught new mathematical terms such as 'centimetres' and 'inches'. This widens children's language and introduces them to more developed and precise terminology. n Leaders are dedicated and enthusiastic in providing a secure support system for

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need to do better?

3 June 2025 children and staff in their own development and well-being. Leaders speak with passion about the families they support and show a committed approach to delivering the best possible outcomes. This means children are kept at the centre of everything the setting does. n Staff and leaders support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through high-quality interactions and structured interventions with a nurturing ethos. For example, staff deliver precise interventions where children are clearly engaged and excited. Children show anticipation through their facial expressions and are responsive to the staff's teaching. As such, children are making good progress from their starting points. n Staff are extremely knowledgeable about children and families in their care. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure that children's needs are met and that families receive the correct level of support. However, some

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need to do better?

parents are not aware of their child's key person or their child's next steps in learning. This does not fully support their continued learning at home. Overall, parents are happy with the setting and communicate their gratitude for the dedicated staff team. n Leaders and staff liaise with other professionals such as speech and language therapists, carers and local school teachers. This provides a refined and effective multi-agency partnership in support of children's needs. For example, staff work with multiple different professionals throughout the session to provide various interventions of support. This ensures clarity and consistency for children's individual learning.

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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 routines and transitions to help children remain focused and engaged n develop parent partnerships further in regards to information-sharing of key person and next steps to continue children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY246291 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 10398270 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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reference number

Telephone number 01254 778900 Date of previous inspection 11 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Darwen Children's Centre at the Lord Street site registered in 2003. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, seven staff hold early years qualifications at level 3, and one member of staff holds qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.45am. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager told the inspector about the close work the setting does with the families and the community. n The teacher and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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 spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector and the teacher carried out a joint observation of an intervention activity. 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

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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