Mini Explorers Nursery @ Fittleworth

Mini Explorers Nursery @ Fittleworth

Unique reference number (URN): 2750292 Address: Fittleworth Playgroup, School Lane, Fittleworth, Pulborough, RH20 1JB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 12/09/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Mini Explorers West Sussex LTD

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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.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

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

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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.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate their language and communication skills during play. They effectively interact with their peers and engage in conversations with staff. For example, while playing with play dough children describe leaves as 'spikey' and 'soft'. Staff listen to what children have to say and repeat words clearly. This helps to develop children's pronunciation. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from extra support to help them make progress. Through routine assessments, staff identify children who need help or specific resources to ensure they access the curriculum and achieve. For example, staff work with outside agencies, such as speech therapists, to support children's communication and language skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

During the summer term, there is a focus on school readiness and children take part in activities, such as practising changing their clothes for physical exercise. Developing children's independence and mastering personal hygiene skills, such as toileting and handwashing, is a priority in preparation for starting school. Staff invite teachers to visit the nursery to meet the children, which helps to support their transition to the next stage of their education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff have high expectations for all children's behaviour and are positive role models. For example, they encourage children to be polite and say please and thank you. Staff help children learn how to share and praise them for waiting patiently for their turn. This helps children foster respect, empathy and develops their social skills. As a result, children behave well and are kind to their friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders promote the importance of attendance and track absences to ensure children benefit from their education and are safe. Staff know the children well and form good bonds with them. This helps children feel secure in the setting. Children benefit from having roles and responsibilities to help develop their confidence and self-esteem. For example, children enjoy serving food to their friends at mealtimes. Staff eat meals with the children and promote good table manners. They closely monitor children who are eating to keep them safe. Children know the daily routines well and respond to them positively. For example, babies recognise when the room is ready for lunch and older children show excitement as they get ready for outdoor learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff are welcoming and create a safe environment, where children thrive. Staff are sensitive to all children's needs. They put plans in place and follow care routines to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to meet their personal needs. Staff ensure babies' home routines are met, this includes nappy changes, sleeping and eating patterns. Older children learn personal hygiene skills, such as wiping their nose and putting the tissue in the bin. Staff use mealtimes to teach children about healthy eating and encourage them to make healthy choices. This helps children adopt a healthy lifestyle. Staff respond swiftly when children need comfort. They provide reassurance that helps children settle and feel secure. Staff are sensitive to children's emotional needs and let them establish routines that make them happy. For example, children can settle in a quiet area before moving into the

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children have plenty of opportunities throughout the day to play outdoors and benefit from fresh air and exercise. This includes a forest school session for older children one morning a week. Staff encourage children to be active and explore the outdoor environment. Staff provide age-appropriate equipment and encourage children to manage their own risks. For example, children persevere to climb a slope and slide down. Children beam with pride when staff praise their achievements, which then encourages them to keep trying. Overall, children are happy and content.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff deliver a curriculum that is play based and promotes child-led learning. There is a focus on outdoor learning and staff adapt activities to meet the needs of all children. For example, staff put plans in place to support children who face barriers to learning to ensure everyone has access to the curriculum. This is particularly beneficial for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff plan activities that follow children's interests and instigate curiosity to encourage thinking skills. For example, children enjoy playing with sensory resources, babies use shakers to listen to sounds while older children enjoy smelling herbs and using them in their play. Staff support children's language and communication skills. They talk about important events in children's lives to engage them in meaningful conversations. For example, children talk with excitement as they recall decorating their Christmas trees at home. Staff encourage children to share their experiences with their peers to develop their social skills. Staff recognise the importance of children developing their physical skills. Younger children have space to move around freely. Staff provide low equipment to encourage them to pull themselves to standing. This helps to develop babies' muscles for walking. Older children have opportunities to develop their hand muscles and hand-eye coordination. For example,

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

children chop vegetables to make 'reindeer soup' and carefully spoon items into small pots. This helps to develop children's fine motor skills and coordination for future learning. Children enjoy listening to stories and staff read books with them throughout the day. Children listen intently and ask questions. Staff encourage children to turn the pages and talk about the text. This helps to develop children's early literacy skills. Staff explicitly count objects with children during play and introduce mathematical language, such as big and small, more and less, to support mathematical skills. Staff take time to focus on individual children to plan for their next steps in learning. Leaders are exploring effective ways to share their curriculum and the progress children make with all parents. This is not yet embedded in practice and as consistent as it could be.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Through ongoing assessments, staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those with gaps in their learning. Staff gather information on children's backgrounds and identify those who need extra support. They use a graduated approach to monitor children's development and provide support to help them make progress. Staff know the children well and establish routines to meet children's care and developmental needs. Although staff gather information from parents regarding children's care routines and needs, there is not yet a robust system to share ongoing information of children's progress with parents.

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Inclusion Expected standard

When necessary, staff work with other professionals, such as speech and physiotherapists, for continuity of care. Leaders utilise funding, such as early years pupil premium, to provide specific activities that deepens all children's learning. This includes forest school, sports, dance and music. These opportunities provide children with new experiences to enhance their learning and development. Staff support children with SEND and adapt activities to meet the different ages and stages of children in the setting. They include all children in activities, for example babies enjoy singing with their older peers at group time. Staff promote inclusive practice and teach children about different faiths and cultures by celebrating relevant dates in the calendar that are important to children and their families. As a result, children develop a sense of belonging, which helps them become confident learners.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are proactive and identify areas to develop within the setting. As a team, staff reflect on practice and put strategies in place for improvement. Leaders follow policies to ensure staff are suitable to work with children and complete ongoing supervisions. They listen to parents and address their concerns. For example, leaders respond swiftly to complaints and instigate plans to improve practice. They support staff wellbeing and arrange for the team to attend training to keep their practice up to date and learn new skills. For example, staff attend safeguarding training to understand the latest updates and requirements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are developing ways to effectively communicate and provide feedback for all parents. They are working with a new app and display details of daily activities on a notice board. Parents have opportunities to attend evening events, where leaders share changes, such as the introduction of a chef and healthy menus. Leaders support staff in the setting by completing paperwork tasks to lighten the load for managers. This enables staff to spend more time with the children. Parents comment they would like more regular feedback on children's progress. Leaders are reviewing ways to strengthen communication and parent partnerships to ensure all parents are effectively informed of the progress their children are making. These strategies are in their infancy and not yet embedded in practice.

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

Staff provide a safe welcoming environment, where children flourish and thrive. They monitor and promote children's attendance to ensure children are safe and benefit from their educational experiences. Children are happy and content, they confidently enter the nursery and settle quickly at their chosen activity. Children explore the play area and staff play alongside, using effective strategies to support their language and communication skills. This includes asking open questions and giving children time to think of a reply. Children focus well on their chosen activities and enjoy engaging with their peers throughout the day. For example, children play cooperatively in the role-play area, pretending to make hot chocolate for their friends. This helps to develop children's social skills and interactions. Children are independent and staff encourage them to complete tasks for themselves, such as putting their coat on, toileting

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

and washing hands. This helps children develop their self-care skills in preparation for school.

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

Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to enjoy outdoor play and explore the natural world. Children enjoy climbing on apparatus and kicking balls to develop their balance and coordination. They independently assess risk and persevere to tackle tasks. As a result, children are developing their physical skills and motivation to learn. Children are inquisitive and staff provide activities to help develop their thinking skills. For example, staff teach children that when ice melts it becomes water. Staff endeavour to include all children and adapt activities where necessary. Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who would benefit from having extra support. They put plans in place to help children achieve and make progress. However, staff do not always share this information effectively with all parents. Leaders are aware this is an area for development

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

and are exploring a range of ways to strengthen communications with parents to share the curriculum, children's progress and next steps in learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen communication with all parents further to effectively share information of children's progress and next steps in their learning.

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Address:

Fittleworth Playgroup School Lane, Fittleworth Pulborough RH20 1JB

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Mini Explorers West Sussex LTD

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and assistants during the inspection.

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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, know as the early years foundation stage.

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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Exceptional

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

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Strong standard

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

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Expected standard

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

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Needs attention

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

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Urgent improvement

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

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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.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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