Space Station Day Nursery

Inspection of Space Station Day Nursery Market Street, Droylsden, Manchester M43 7AZ

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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 arriving at the nursery settle busily into play and activities. They welcome the company of the kind and cheerful staff and demonstrate that they feel safe. Children's early literacy is promoted effectively. Staff select books and stories that interest and entertain children. Their use of lift-the-flap books tests children's ability to remember what is hiding under the flaps. Staff repeat favourite stories and children join in with familiar rhymes and phrases. This gives children practice in saying correctly formed sentences. The nursery has a free library of books for families to borrow. This helps parents and carers to further promote children's enjoyment of reading at home.

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The provision is good

Staff know the value of working in partnership with parents. They seek detailed information about children's care routines and development. This helps everyone to promote continuity in children's progress towards self-help skills. Staff know, for example, whether babies have started to eat with a spoon. They therefore have a clear starting point for encouraging children's further progress. Staff know how children learn and this helped to inform a recent review of the daily timetable. Children now have longer, uninterrupted periods of self-initiated play. This gives them time to think, explore and try out their own ideas. It promotes children's positive attitudes to learning.

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need to do better?

n Managers take effective steps to promote the welfare and well-being of staff. Staff say that they feel valued and this promotes a friendly, motivated atmosphere in the nursery. Managers help staff to develop their professional skills and knowledge. This is particularly evident in the way that they promote the confidence and leadership skills of room leaders. Managers trust and support room leaders to identify areas for development and to make decisions. n Managers make accurate, manageable action plans that help all staff to improve their teaching. One current focus is to develop staff's use of visual cues that promote children's learning. Staff show children a red card and say 'stop', when it is time for an activity to finish. However, the use of visual cues to support teaching at group times is sometimes inconsistent. This does not promote children's fullest attention and deepest understanding. n Staff follow systems that help children to transition smoothly from one room to

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need to do better?

the next as they grow. Staff take children to visit the new room. They pass on information to children's new key person and consult and inform parents. Children encounter similar routines and resources. For example, their familiar name card comes with them. The joined-up approach promotes children's emotional well-being. They settle quickly, ready to learn. n A well-structured cycle of supervision helps all staff to keep improving from their

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need to do better?

24 June 2025 individual starting points. This is linked to clear expectations that promote consistent practice across the nursery. When children arrive in the role play areas, they see dolls who are waiting to have their nappies changed or are asleep in cots, ready to wake up. This attention to detail helps staff to form habits that promote a high-quality learning environment. n Staff play and talk with children throughout the day. This helps children to learn new words. Children in the toddler room pretend to be doctors and patients. They draw a life-sized body map and remember the names of different parts of the body. However, staff's interactions with children are, sometimes, less effective. They ask children questions in ways that do not encourage them to think or talk. This does not promote children's language skills really effectively. n Children's physical development is promoted well. Children have fun spraying

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need to do better?

water at pretend fires. This helps them to develop strength in their hands and fingers. Children draw circles in the air, quickly and then slowly, at circle time. This promotes their hand-eye coordination. It also helps to extend children's meaningful vocabulary. Children kick and throw balls outside. This promotes their core strength and balance. n Managers take a conscientious approach to risk assessment. They monitor incidents and accidents and share with staff any learning or changes to procedures. Staff complete and refresh training that promotes children's safety and welfare. They know what to do if they have concerns about the behaviour of colleagues. All staff know and follow routines for safely supervising children who are eating. This helps to prevent incidents of choking.

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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 further develop staff's use of visual cues in promoting children's understanding and inviting their attention n strengthen techniques for promoting children's speaking and listening skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2721494 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 10403269 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 67 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Kids Zone Nursery Group Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 370 1152 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Space Station Day Nursery registered in 2023. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, two members of staff hold qualifications at level 4, nine at level 3 and two at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education and has places for children living in disadvantaged circumstances.

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Inspection activities

n The nursery manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the nursery. They discussed the intentions for the curriculum. n The inspector conducted one joint observation of practice alongside the nursery manager. n The inspector held meetings with managers and staff. She spoke with children during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views. n Examples of relevant documents were sampled and reviewed by the inspector. She checked 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

24 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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