Wellies

Inspection of Wellies 2 Langton Hill, HORNCASTLE, Lincolnshire LN9 5AH

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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 are welcoming as children arrive happily at the nursery. Children are eager to explore and take part in the range of activities staff offer them. For example, older children scoop sand into sieves and giggle as they shake it out for their friends to catch. Babies confidently explore the environment around them. They crawl and snuggle into staff for reassurance when needed. Staff working with babies sing songs and encourage them to join in with actions, supporting their physical and language skills. Staff know children well and provide them with invitations to learn as they set up activities that follow children's interests. This includes babies being creative and showing enjoyment as they glue and stick coloured paper. Young children tip, pour and splash in the water tray, helping to develop their hand-eye coordination.

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The provision is good

Children's physical development is supported well. Staff offer children ideas and suggestions about how to move their bodies in different ways, encouraging them to take and manage their own risks in play. This results in children climbing ladders and confidently walking down slopes in the garden. Staff are positive role models and their interactions with children are respectful. Therefore, when children create obstacle courses in the garden and younger children find these challenging, older children recognise and respond with kindness. They offer them encouragement and help.

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need to do better?

n Staff gather information from parents when children first start about their care needs, routines and interests. They use this to implement routines and support children's interests, helping them to settle well. However, when children start, staff do not gather information from parents about children's prior learning and what they already know and can do to help them plan more precisely for their development on entry. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff are proactive in working with parents and other professionals to implement targeted support to build on children's development. Furthermore, the nursery makes good use of additional funding to meet children's individual needs. For example, small easy grip cups have been purchased to help children develop the skill of drinking from an open cup. n Staff provide a curriculum to support communication and language well. Babies

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need to do better?

enjoy listening to staff read stories and sing songs throughout the day. Staff engage older children in two-way conversations and model new vocabulary for them to hear. Staff encourage children to communicate their wishes and feelings as they play alongside one another. n Overall, staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They support

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need to do better?

23 July 2025 children to be kind to one another by providing gentle reminders when needed. However, behaviour expectations are not consistently applied by staff across the nursery. This results in children, sometimes, ignoring staff's instructions and, at times, disrupting other children's learning. n Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, they support babies to develop the skill of using cutlery to feed themselves from a young age. Pre- school children serve their own meals. Children manage tasks when asked, including dressing themselves and putting on their shoes. This helps to prepare them for the next stage and move to school. n Staff promote children's personal development well. They support children to understand the importance of washing their hands before eating and after playing in the mud to remove germs. Furthermore, staff provide children with areas where they can access their own tissues. This allows children to develop

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need to do better?

their self-care skills as they use mirrors to wipe their faces. n Parents comment positively about the nursery. They value the information they receive from staff about their child's day on collection and the updates via the online app. Parents state that staff go 'above and beyond' and are happy with how their children are developing. They appreciate the support staff have provided to help their children with toilet training.

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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 gather information from parents about what children already know and can do when they first start to help plan more precisely for their learning from the outset n support staff to apply behaviour expectations consistently, so children receive consistent messages supporting their ability to follow instructions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY354403 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10398396 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 100 Number of children on roll 65 Name of registered person Wellies (Horncastle) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01507 525050 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Wellies registered in 2007 and is situated in Horncastle, Lincolnshire. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6 and five hold level 3, including the manager. The nursery opens all year round from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged nine months upwards.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their written 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

23 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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