Wolstanton Kindergarten

Inspection of Wolstanton Kindergarten The Old Schoolhouse, 9 Ellison Street, Newcastle, Staffordshire ST5 0BL

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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 are welcomed by happy and enthusiastic staff as they arrive at this nursery. They separate easily from their parents and settle quickly into activities with their key person. Children develop warm relationships with the kind and caring staff. Staff have a consistent approach to their high expectations for behaviour and conduct in the nursery. They support children to learn how to recognise their emotions and build on their understanding as they get older. Children behave well. Staff reinforce the rules and boundaries of the setting. They praise children for using positive behaviours, such as when children use manners, share or wait their turn.

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The provision is good

Staff implement a sequenced curriculum that is broad and balanced and focuses on the theory that children learn through active involvement with their environment and the importance of learning outdoors. Staff provide a stimulating environment, where all children made good progress. Children enjoy freshly made meals and access to the outdoors every day. Children relish their time outdoors, and consideration is given to all areas of learning in the garden. For example, outdoors, children develop their physical skills, using the climbing frame and skilfully using ride-on toys. Children kick and throw balls, collect water and sand and use their imaginations in the pretend ice-cream parlour.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children incredibly well and are highly attuned to their developmental needs and interests. They use this knowledge along with their ongoing assessments to build on what children already know and can do to continually move their learning forward. n Leaders and managers reflect well on their practice and provide relevant staff training. For example, recent training on the use of natural resources and ways to extend children's vocabulary has been implemented well by staff. Leaders and managers carry out regular supervision meetings with staff to understand and provide support for individual staff about their well-being and to plan for their key children. n Staff use the information they gain from parents when children start, to plan and deliver learning opportunities that match each child's needs and interests. Staff plan a wealth of adult-led activities that intrigue and excite children. However,

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need to do better?

occasionally during free play, children become distracted and are not challenged and engaged in purposeful learning. n Babies explore their environment with confidence and ease. They perfect their walking skills and balance, and they relish exploring inviting sensory activities. Babies cuddle up with staff to look at books and feel the different textures on the pages.

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need to do better?

30 July 2025 n Toddlers learn to take turns when choosing nursery rhymes depicted on wooden spoons and squeal with delight when it is a familiar song. Children use puppets and soft toys to retell stories, which helps to develop toddlers' literacy skills. Staff interactions are calm, positive and effective. They get down to children's level when speaking to them and make good eye contact. This supports children's communication and language skills. n During planned activities, staff ensure that questions are relevant and helpful to extend learning even further. For example, during a fruit activity, children are encouraged to explore the pineapple's texture and use words, such as 'spiky,'prickly' and 'sharp' to describe the fruit's skin. Staff reinforce children's previous learning on patterns and sequencing as children select the fruits for their fruit kebab. Children show sustained concentration and perseverance as

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need to do better?

they attach the small pieces of fruit to sticks and peel their own orange. n Overall, staff support children's independence skills well. They gently teach young babies how to feed themselves, and pre-school children confidently pour their drinks and use the bathroom independently. However, staff do not always encourage older children to tidy away resources after they have finished with them and respect their environment. For example, creative resources are removed from the table and discarded on the floor. This does not support older children with the information they need for when they start school. n Children learn about the diverse community in which they live and their own heritage. For example, staff planned a range of activities to celebrate the centenary of Stoke-on-Trent, marking one hundred years since it was granted city status. Staff take children to visit a local care home, where they sing and

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need to do better?

share stories and craft activities with the residents. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents feel well informed about how they can help their children's progress at home. Parents describe the trust and respect they have for staff and the sense of community created by them.

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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 help older children to understand how to take more care of their environment and resources, particularly when they are leading their own play n improve the implementation of the curriculum, particularly during free-play activities, so it is consistently ambitious and ensures children are engaged more consistently in purposeful play and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY458594 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10394700 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 25 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person The Kindergarten Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 625493 Date of previous inspection 20 September 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Wolstanton Kindergarten registered in 2013 and is in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year from 7.30am until 5.30pm. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one is qualified at level 7, two are qualified at level 6 and five are qualified at level 2 to level 5. The nursery provides funded early education for eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. 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 special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a planned activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection 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

30 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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