Happy Days Nursery Derriford

Inspection of Happy Days Nursery Derriford Unit 3a & 3b, Derriford Business Park, Plymouth PL6 5QZ

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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

Children develop warm relationships with kind and nurturing staff, who know them well. They make good friendships with other children and regularly invite their friends to play with them. Staff encourage children to be inquisitive and learn through experimenting. Children carefully fill containers with water and watch what happens as they pour it onto plastic ramps in the woodland area. They engage well with activities and listen carefully to staff. The nursery is calm and purposeful, and a happy place for both children and staff to be.

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The provision is good

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality care for all. They carefully consider what children need to know now and next. Staff support children to take part in a wide range of learning opportunities, including those that develop their understanding of the world around them. Children benefit from taking part in walks around the local area and learn about looking after the environment through practical activities, including litter picking. Staff ensure children are well prepared for important transitions, such as moving from the baby to the toddler room. They forge good links with local primary schools and help children to prepare for moving through a variety of activities. Children particularly delight as they dress up in school uniforms and pretend to be at school in the role-play area.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have designed a broad and rich curriculum. Overall, it meets the needs of the children in the nursery well, particularly in developing their resilience and independence. However, staff do not always implement the curriculum in the same way across the nursery, and children do not always receive the same opportunities linked to their interests to ensure consistency in their learning. n Staff support children to develop their early literacy skills very well. They provide daily high-quality group learning times across the nursery to support children of all ages to develop their language and communication skills. Younger children engage very well in singing nursery rhymes with staff and confidently ask for more songs. Older children learn how to count syllables in words and take part in 'listening walks' to support their ability to distinguish sounds. n Staff supervise children well as they play and ensure that they are happy.

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need to do better?

However, while staff interact well with children most of the time, they do not always develop children's play further to extend their learning and understanding. n Staff support children well to regulate their emotions. Children learn to recognise and name their feelings through age-appropriate stories and activities. For example, staff support toddlers to learn what the words 'worried' and 'angry' mean and discuss when they might feel that way. They reinforce these concepts throughout the day and swiftly intervene to support children when they struggle

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need to do better?

14 July 2025 to regulate their behaviour. n Children demonstrate good levels of independence for their age. Staff have very good shared expectations of what children can do for themselves and ensure this is embedded in daily routines. For example, staff patiently support babies to learn to serve their lunch. They show them how to hold and lift a spoon to develop their early independence skills. n Staff work well alongside external agencies and professionals. They seek advice and guidance when necessary on how to help children meet the next steps in their development. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular updated training to ensure children's needs are effectively met, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). n Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff engage well with parents and provide guidance on how to support children's learning at home. For example, they encourage parents to read regularly at home with their children and

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need to do better?

comment on the success of a recent book swap initiative. Parents value the communication they receive from staff and information on what their children are developing next. n Leaders monitor staff's practice well. They undertake regular observations of staff working with children and provide constructive feedback, including as part of an effective supervision process. Leaders ensure that all staff take part in regular training opportunities and comment on the high level of engagement in this from staff. For example, staff have recently taken part in enhanced key- person training, including strengthening their awareness of how to identify the next steps for children's development.

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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 the implementation of the curriculum across the setting to ensure consistency in children's learning n strengthen how staff offer children challenge and extend learning to maximise the progress they make.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY465484 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 10408419 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 146 Number of children on roll 283 Name of registered person Happy Days South West Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01752 786 318 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Happy Days Nursery Derriford registered in 2013 and is located in Plymouth, Devon. It is part of the chain of nurseries run by Happy Days South West Limited. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 7pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are 76 members of staff, 57 of whom have appropriate early years qualifications between levels 2 and 6. The nursery offers government funded childcare places.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager, assistant manager and lead inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors spoke with members of the wider leadership team about the leadership and management of the setting. n Staff spoke to the inspectors about how they support children with SEND. n The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspectors carried out joint observations with the manager and the assistant manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspectors.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors 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

14 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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