Little Explorers

Little Explorers

Unique reference number (URN): EY313883 Address: 206C Maidstone Road, ROCHESTER, Kent, ME1 3EJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 30/08/2005 Registers: EYR Registered person: Little Explorers Day Nursery Ltd

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.2

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.2

Children's welfare and well-being Strong standard

Leaders and staff place a high emphasis on children's wellbeing. They know children very well and understand what may be impacting on their day. For example, staff quickly pick up if children are not feeling well and swiftly communicate with parents. Leaders and staff are highly skilled at adapting to the changing needs of children and families over time. Staff have close and respectful relationships with children. Staff working with the youngest children ensure they are fully aware of any care practices taking place. For example, staff show children tissues and explain to them that they are going to wipe their nose, before they do this. Children show that they are aware of this and lean forward for their nose to be wiped.

p.2

Children's welfare and well-being Strong standard

Additional plans are put in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to ensure that their wellbeing remains high throughout the day. All children show that they feel safe, secure and settled.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to achievement, make good progress in their learning and development. Staff have effective systems in place to monitor children's development. Leaders and staff use specific monitoring tools to assess children's communication and language development, to highlight any further specific support that needs to be put in place. This helps staff to identify any concerns early to ensure that children continue to make suitable progress in their communication and language development. Parents praise the feedback they receive about their children's day-to-day learning and overall development. Any variations that arise in children's development are shared with parents and they work collaboratively to explore how best to support children. Children learn a range of skills to help them to be ready for their next stage of learning.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Leaders have received feedback from schools that children are confident and self-assured.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a kind nursery environment, where wellbeing for all children is a high priority. Children excitedly arrive at nursery and are warmly greeted by enthusiastic staff. The key-person approach is well established. Children show that they feel settled and comfortable at nursery. Leaders and staff have established procedures in place to ensure that staff check on children's welfare if they do not arrive at nursery as expected.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Support for children's behaviour is effective. For example, staff role model how to help children negotiate to ensure that everyone at the table has some slime to play with. Children quickly respond to the guidance from staff and happily share what they have. Staff skilfully manage children's behaviour appropriate for their age and stage of development.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children understand the consistent routines that are implemented in the setting. They are proud to show staff that they have completed tasks, such as tidying away name cards with allergy information, following mealtimes.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have carefully considered the structure of their curriculum and what it is that they want to prioritise children to learn. This includes for children who may have barriers to learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Mostly, these are observed through the teaching that children receive. For example, children enjoy a range of activities, such as moulding and forming dough to support their small-muscle development. Older children enthusiastically join in stories that are familiar to them, using hand puppets to retell parts of the story. Staff ask children about what is coming next and they excitedly share their responses. Younger children show their persistence to complete tasks. For example, they spend time exploring and peeling sticky tape. They show their understanding well and put the old tape in the bin. However, on occasions, staff interactions with children

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

do not consistently make the most of the curriculum intentions, including for mathematical development, to fully enhance all areas of their learning.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have secure processes in place to support children with a range of backgrounds and special educational needs and/or disabilities. They prioritise finding out about individual children's unique circumstances, to help them understand how to best support children and families. Leaders use additional funding well to structure their support. For example, they consider if children need further one-to-one support or if there are resources that would be more appropriate.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have an in-depth understanding of the different procedures in each of the local authorities that they work with. They quickly engage with external professionals to ensure that additional help is sought at the earliest opportunity. Leaders are highly reflective. They review and assess the impact of their support effectively, using the skills they have gained through training. Leaders and staff work well with families to ensure that they are included in decision-making and reviews. They assess the impact together and make further plans. Parents who have worked alongside leaders on this journey are full of positive praise for the experiences they and their children have received. Many families continue to update leaders on their children's development once they have left the setting.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have clear aims and ambitions for children who attend their setting. They consider the individual needs of children, to include those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, in the nursery to structure plans for continuous improvement. They have strong emphasis on early intervention. For example, they have introduced a communication and language monitoring tool to assess children's skills to ensure swift support if needed.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have secure relationships with a range of professionals, including local schools. They facilitate discussions to ensure that any local information is shared and how they need to be aware of this for the children in their setting. For example, around local safeguarding information.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff state that leaders are supportive, and their workload and wellbeing is a high priority. They have access to suitable opportunities for professional development. For example, staff have attended training to help their confidence in building the mathematics curriculum. However, not all aspects of the areas that have been a curriculum focus are embedded in practice. Staff require further additional support to consistently implement the curriculum aims to fully benefit children's development.

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children receive a warm welcome from staff. They show that they feel safe and secure. For example, children who need extra reassurance seek out familiar adults for comfort. Staff know how to provide individual support, which is highly effective. Children have a supportive and appropriate relationship with staff as a base to develop their skills.

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children begin to learn self-care skills, such as washing their hands before they eat. Staff respond well to children who show an interest in books. For example, staff read stories to older children and help younger children to look at the pictures. Children enjoy accessing resources for themselves, which has clearly been planned at their height, to support their age and stage of development.

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children enjoy the opportunity to explore and play outside daily. Older children enjoy the choice to flow freely into the garden. Younger children master using the stairs with support and are able to find their coats ready to play. Children show that they enjoy the company as

p.4

Inspector:

Sarah Taylor-Smith they happily chat to each other as they play. For example, they giggle to each other as they repeatedly post coins in the slot. Younger children play alongside each other as they explore the sand tray with buckets and spades. Children enjoy accessing different activities and building their interest and skills.

p.5

Next steps

develop further staff practice to ensure that the curriculum is consistently implemented across the setting to further improve children's development develop staff interactions with children to make the very best of opportunities to support their learning.

p.5

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator and the designated safeguarding lead during the inspection.

p.5

About this inspection

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.

p.5

Address:

206C Maidstone Road ROCHESTER Kent ME1 3EJ

p.6

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Address:

Registered person: Little Explorers Day Nursery Ltd

p.6

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

p.7

Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.7

Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7