Dinotots Children's Nursery Ltd

Inspection of Dinotots Children's Nursery Ltd St Benedict's Parish Church, Brierley Road, Cowpen, Blyth, Northumberland NE24 5AU

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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

Leaders strive to provide quality care and education. Staff share their vision and want children to feel safe, happy and ready to learn. Relationships between staff and children are warm and supportive. Babies benefit from responsive care routines. They snuggle close to staff while sharing books and giggle when they sing to them. Older children proudly share their achievements with staff, glowing with pride when staff congratulate and praise them. Staff model good manners and respect. Children are polite and behave well.

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The provision is good

Children have plenty of opportunities for active play. They skilfully move under and over the climbing dome indoors and enjoy daily visits to the local park. This regular exercise and fresh air contributes to children's good health and supports the good progress that they make in their physical development. Children are confident and capable movers who develop strength, balance and coordination.

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The provision is good

Staff provide a range of appealing activities that, generally, support children's learning well. Babies develop their hand-eye coordination, such as when filling and emptying cups with coloured rice. Children explore ice while trying to free the dinosaurs from their frozen eggs. Staff observe children during their play and identify the skills they want children to develop next. Overall, the broad and varied curriculum helps to ensure that all children are supported to make good progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n There is an effective balance of adult-led activities and opportunities for children to develop their own ideas during their play. Staff plan activities to help children to develop particular skills, such as increasing their awareness of numbers and counting while baking cakes. They support children's independent play well and encourage them to test out their ideas. For example, with staff's support, children set up a boat race in the water tray, designing the race route and creating the rules. n Staff know children well and, overall, help children to learn and remember more. However, occasionally, staff do not consider the prior skills and knowledge younger children need to succeed during some activities. For example, younger children lose interest and leave the activity when they wait too long for a turn to mix ingredients. Children who have not yet developed pencil control skills are not developmentally ready to draw pictures when guided by staff.

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need to do better?

n Children learn about ways to keep themselves safe and healthy during familiar experiences. They understand how to cross roads safely during outings, reminding each other to 'stop, look and listen'. Staff support children to brush their teeth each day and to wash their hands at key moments. This supports

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need to do better?

3 July 2025 children's growing awareness of their own well-being and builds foundations for positive and lifelong habits. n Some parts of the daily routine are not organised well enough to sustain children's positive attitudes and behaviours. Staff do not always reinforce their expectations clearly during some parts of the day, such as mealtimes and during small-group activities. This means that children sometimes dismiss staff's guidance. For example, some children continue to play, despite staff explaining it is time to put the toys away and listen. Staff take too many children to the bathroom at one time, and children get restless while waiting in this small space. n Parents and carers speak highly of the setting and staff. They appreciate the good communication from staff, for example the photos that they receive through an electronic app. Staff share 'wow moments' daily with parents, which helps them to celebrate what their children have learned and build further on

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need to do better?

their progress at home. n Leaders guide and support staff and frequently check on their well-being. Staff feel valued and are happy in their role. However, the arrangements to monitor and build on their practice are not yet fully effective. Leaders do not consistently identify or address minor weaknesses in teaching quickly enough to drive continuous improvement in the overall quality of education. While staff access some training, this largely revisits their existing knowledge and does not deepen or extend their skills to improve teaching practice further.

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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 consider younger children's current abilities and readiness for learning more consistently when planning activities to help them to build on what they already know and can do n refine the organisation of routines and help children to understand and respond more consistently to clear and consistent expectations for their behaviour n monitor teaching practice more closely so that support for staff and their professional development are consistent, effective and help to build continuously on the quality of education.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2753646 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10405892 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 41 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Dinotots Childrens Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01670363650 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dinotots Children's Nursery Ltd registered in 2023 and operates in the Blyth area of Northumberland. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, one member of staff holds a childcare qualification at level 5, and two staff are qualified at level 3. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm on Monday to Thursday, and from 8am to 5.30pm on Friday. The nursery provides government funded childcare and receives additional funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The area manager showed the inspector around the setting and explained how the early years provision is organised. She discussed the aims of the nursery curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The area manager and inspector evaluated an activity. n The inspector accompanied staff and children on a walk to the local park. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Leaders met with the inspector to discuss the leadership and management of the setting. They provided relevant documents for inspection, including evidence of the suitability checks carried out on staff. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views.

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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 July 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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