Blue Sky Day Nursery (Cottingham)

Inspection of Blue Sky Day Nursery (Cottingham) Wishing Well Day Nursery, 25a Endyke Lane, Cottingham HU16 4QD

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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 are happy and settled in this inclusive and nurturing nursery. They build strong bonds with staff, who are kind, caring and compassionate. Staff welcome families as they arrive at the setting with genuine warmth and excitement. Practitioners offer reassurance and cuddles as children settle into their new provision, which helps them to feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Leaders have designed a clear curriculum that builds on children's skills and knowledge as they move through the nursery. Staff use their knowledge and observations of the children's interests to plan learning experiences. Children benefit from a wide range of exciting trips and adventures in the local community, which are planned to help them learn about the world around them. For example, they take trips on the train and bus to the local art gallery, park and fair.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy the healthy, balanced and nutritious meals and snacks prepared by the nursery cook. They benefit from daily fresh air and learn about where food comes from as they grow and harvest produce from the nursery's vegetable plot. Staff remind children of the setting's key rules, such as 'walking feet' and 'kind hands'. Children behave well and are supported to develop their social skills. They are learning to take turns, care for others and share toys.

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need to do better?

n Children enjoy opportunities to play outside. The youngest children are provided with opportunities to develop their physical skills and coordination. They learn to navigate the available space on ride-on toys and push-along walkers. n Children are developing good levels of independence. Toddler-aged children attempt to put on their own aprons before mealtimes and they are encouraged to use a knife and fork when eating. n Staff engage children in a variety of songs and activities that promote language development. They narrate alongside children's play, modelling words and new vocabulary such as 'snip' and 'delicious'. n Staff are well supported by leaders and managers. Leaders place a high priority on staff well-being and have a range of interventions in place to support this. Leaders have procedures in place to support staff's continuous professional development. However, these have not yet been fully implemented to ensure

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need to do better?

targeted coaching and support is provided when inconsistencies in staff's teaching practice are identified. For example, practitioners' interactions with children and some of the activities provided do not always engage children effectively. There is more robust monitoring of the interventions being used with children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the pre-school room.

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need to do better?

5 September 2025 n The setting has robust procedures in place to ensure all children's dietary needs and allergens are managed well. For instance, a colour-coded bib and place mat are used to help identify children with allergies, which helps to keep them safe. n Leaders and managers have designed a SEND pathway that ensures that children with emerging needs are identified and supported. Staff demonstrate that they know children with SEND well. The setting works in close partnership with parents and specialist partners to support the learning of children with SEND. n Children are familiar with the routines. They wash their hands and follow their peers to sit at the table for lunch. However, during some mealtimes and snack times, staff do not consistently organise these routine experiences well. This results in short periods of time where some staff's positive engagement with children is reduced. For example, children are seated and then staff go and

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need to do better?

collect lunch, resulting in some children becoming restless as they wait for their food to arrive. At other times, staff are continuing to collect additional food or serve meals. During these times, although children are supervised, staff are unable to offer quality support and assistance to all children consistently. n Effective ongoing communication with parents helps to ensure that there is a consistent approach to their child's care and learning. Staff provide parents with personalised daily information about their child's day. For example, they share information about what their child has been doing, their meals, sleep routines and intimate care. Key persons share children's progress regularly with parents. Families are invited to attend a termly parents' evening. Parents share that they are very happy with the care their children receive in the nursery. They believe that their child is safe and well cared for by staff.

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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 monitor staff practice more closely, providing targeted coaching and support so that learning opportunities are consistently delivered and effectively engage all children n consider the organisation of daily routines, such as snack and mealtimes, to ensure that all children continue to benefit from high quality staff interactions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2746865 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10404867 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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Total number of places

Number of children on roll 81 Name of registered person Blue Sky Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07881934308 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Blue Sky Day Nursery registered in 2023 and is located in Cottingham. The setting opens Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm, all year round. It employs 23 members of staff, of whom 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting offers the government funded places for childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The manager, owner and inspector completed a learning walk together of all the areas in nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke with the manger and owner about the leadership and management of the setting, including a discussion about safer recruitment. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation of an adult-led activity. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with staff, managers and the special educational needs coordinator about how they identify and support children with SEND.

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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

5 September 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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