The Care Company Day Childcare & Baby Nursery

Inspection of The Care Company Day Childcare & Baby Nursery The Octagon, Beaconside Business Village Weston Road, Stafford ST18 0BF

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Inspection date: 30 May 2025 - 13 August 2025

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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 arrive at the setting happy and eager to start their day. They are warmly greeted by staff on arrival and confidently wave goodbye to their parents. Relationships within the setting are positive. There is a strong key-person system in place. Children actively seek out their key person throughout the day. For example, when children are upset, they go to them for comfort and reassurance. Staff report feeling well supported by leaders. Leaders have accurate oversight of the setting. They reflect on the quality of care and education they provide and strive to give children the best outcomes in their early years.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Pre-school children respond well to the behaviour management strategies in place. They understand the language staff use, such as 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'. Staff are calm in their approach to behaviour management and take time to explain possible consequences to children. Staff working with babies offer a warm, nurturing environment. Babies clearly feel safe and secure here.

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The provision is good

The intent of the curriculum focuses on following children's interests and supporting development across all areas of learning. Staff plan a range of activities for children. Children are eager to learn and concentrate for long periods of time. They confidently move around the spaces, choosing what they would like to play with next. As a result, children are developing a positive attitude to learning that is preparing them well for their next stage in education.

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need to do better?

n Children enjoy a welcoming and spacious environment. The curriculum aims to build on what children know and can do. There is an effective planning system in place to support children's development. However, there are times when staff do not respond to children's emerging interests in a way that challenges and extends their knowledge to the highest level. For example, as children play and show items to staff, they simply respond with a single word and do not offer further interaction. As a result, children become disinterested and move away. Therefore, some children do not make the rapid progress they are capable of. n Most staff understand how best to support children's communication and language development. Babies hear new words during play. Pre-school children benefit from a language-rich environment. Some staff ask questions that encourage children to solve problems for themselves. However, there are

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need to do better?

inconsistencies in staff practice. Not all staff confidently engage and talk to children. This particularly affects the youngest children and their early language development. n The leadership team has a clear vision for the setting. It implements a range of

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need to do better?

30 May 2025 tools to monitor staff's practice, including regular supervision meetings. Staff comment that they feel well supported by leaders and value their open-door policy. Leaders prioritise staff's professional development. There are lots of opportunities for training, support and career development. This helps with the continuous improvement of the setting. n Children enjoy their time at the setting. Babies enjoy music time. They lie down on the floor, pretending to be sleeping bunnies. They jump up early in anticipation of what comes next in the song. Toddlers enjoy tapping their instruments and singing rhymes during their routine circle time. Pre-school children keenly show off their new scissor skills as they cut leaves and twigs and recall a story about a hungry caterpillar. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is positive. Staff know the individual needs of the children they care for. They work

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need to do better?

with other professionals, such as paediatricians and speech and language therapists, to support children to achieve their targets. Staff are responsive to children's needs and adapt activities to ensure that they are inclusive. Staff identify any gaps in children's knowledge quickly, and share regular updates and information with parents. n Children make progress with elements of their personal development and independence. They wash their hands independently. Pre-school children pour their own water and are supported to eat with knives and forks. Staff adhere to effective care practices during intimate care routines. n Parents report that they are happy with the care their children receive at the setting. They talk about the good communication they have about their children and the things they learn. Parents speak highly of the staff that care for their children.

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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 support staff to build on all children's emerging interests and extend their learning to the highest possible level n develop further strategies to support children's early language so that staff offer consistently high-quality interactions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2801654 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10402645 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 113 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Staffordshire Healthcare Staffing Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01785 748259 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Care Company Day Childcare & Baby Nursery registered in September 2024. The setting is open from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The setting employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, 23 hold a relevant childcare qualification at level 2 or above. The setting provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspection started on 30 May 2025. Inspectors returned on 13 August 2025 to gather additional evidence in line with the Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. n The manager and inspectors completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The 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 the nominated individual and manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n Staff spoke to the inspectors about how they support children with SEND. n One inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspectors spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the setting. n The inspectors viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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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 May 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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