Happy Days Childcare

Inspection of Happy Days Childcare Sycamore Path, Stradishall, NEWMARKET, Suffolk CB8 9YD

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children enter with an air of confidence and excitement, immediately showing they feel comfortable and safe in this warm and nurturing nursery. Children benefit from flexible settling-in procedures and staff ensure they have access to their favourite resources to help them settle. Parents are informed of their child's key person at the start and invited to meet their new one before they move to the next room. Stay-and-play sessions are also offered. This thorough and collaborative approach means children develop strong, secure attachments with their staff and make seamless transitions through the nursery.

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The provision is good

The provider plans a curriculum that is flexible and accessible to all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, symbols and visual aids are created in the environments and staff adapt activities to help all children access their learning successfully. Occasionally, when children find it difficult to share a popular toy with their peers, staff sensitively approach at the children's level and support them to try and solve the problem themselves. Their gentle interaction and guidance prompt children to independently ask if their peers would like to take turns with them. Staff praise their initiative, which reinforces this positive attitude and kind behaviour towards others.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the manager and staff team have accessed support to make the improvements needed and used this to reflect on the whole setting. In-depth supervisions with the management team have ensured staff access professional development opportunities, such as training, and receive some feedback on their practice. Staff morale is high. This is evident in the good quality of education children receive and children's overall happiness and success. n Robust assessment processes help staff swiftly recognise when children need additional support. Staff work closely with parents to implement targeted interventions and adapt these when necessary. This ensures all children make good progress and continuously have the opportunities to build on what they already know and can do. n The management team make timely referrals to outside agencies, such as speech and language therapists. While children await assessments, staff provide

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need to do better?

learning opportunities to help narrow the gap. For example, children benefit from small, focus group activities, where they play games and participate in back-and-forth interactions with others. Consequently, with practise, children are growing in confidence and making significant progress in their language and social skills.

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need to do better?

29 September 2025 n Babies and toddlers use a broad range of equipment indoors and outdoors, to help them to move from crawling to confidently walking and climbing. Regular outdoor play and active games, such as dancing and using pedal bicycles, help children to develop their physical strength and coordination. n Children delight in taking part in a broad range of activities based around the seasonal themes of Harvest. For example, children practise and consolidate their cutting skills as they chop up fruit and vegetables safely, with guidance from staff. However, sometimes, staff interactions during key opportunities in children's play do not always enhance and extend children's learning fully effectively. n Staff have robust training and ensure health care plans for children with complex medical needs are followed meticulously. This ensures the safety and well-being of children. n Generally, children are developing their independence skills and learning

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need to do better?

effective hygiene routines, such as washing hands before eating. However, staff do not always encourage children to cover their mouths as they cough. This poses a risk of spreading germs and does not promote good hygiene. n Children are extremely polite and well mannered. After group stories and rhyme time, children enjoy recalling daily affirmations with staff, such as 'I am kind'. Children share their own opinions on what being kind means to them. Reflecting together helps children understand in more depth, what behaviours are expected of them. n Parent partnership is remarkably strong. Parents appreciate extensive, daily communication about their child's day. They explain how this information helps them to further support their children's progress at home. Parents appreciate how staff take time to get to know their children and champion their unique characters.

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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 staff continue to strengthen the quality of their interactions and fully consider the promotion of available resources to enhance and extend children's learning more effectively as they play n consistently support children's understanding of important hygiene routines to enable them to become increasingly independent in meeting their self-care needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY538799 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10373147 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 62 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person Happydayschildcare(Suffolk) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01440820027 Date of previous inspection 21 October 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Happy Days Childcare registered in 2017 and is located in Newmarket, Suffolk. The setting employs 15 members of childcare staff and a cook. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with qualified teacher status. The setting opens from 7am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. It provides a breakfast and after-school club, and a holiday club for school-age children. The nursery provides government funded early years education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The management team and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the provider's intention for children's learning. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and also discussed their self-evaluation. n Staff and the special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Parents and carers shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team and discussed how they evaluate the nursery. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the nursery and key records.

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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

29 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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