Scallywags Nursery

Scallywags Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): EY481412 Address: Rowallan Way, Chellaston, Derby, Derbyshire, DE73 5WX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 22/08/2014 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Dunnicliff Bros. Limited

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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

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to social care and those who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing, make progress from their baseline assessments. Children are physically confident. They excitedly dance to music, run outdoors and walk along balancing beams. Children build positive relationships with other children and staff.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, children start to build the independence skills that prepare them well for transitions such as moving on to school. Children behave well. They thrive on the clear routines, such as handwashing and knowing when to listen carefully to staff. Children contribute their own thoughts and ideas and develop their language and thinking skills.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop early mathematical skills. They consider shapes and sizes as they skilfully place jigsaw pieces into place. Children understand that they can represent meaning through making marks with a range of resources, such as chalk and dough.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff support children's positive behaviour. They encourage children to use good manners, share and take turns. Staff implement clear expectations, which are known by children. For example, when staff gently clap their hands, children know this indicates a change in routine and stop their play. Staff praise children for their good listening skills. Staff work with parents to promote and monitor children's attendance at the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Typically, children build close and positive relationships with staff. Children seek out key staff and enjoy their involvement in activities and play. Staff support older children to develop their independence skills. During mealtimes, children collect their own meal and cutlery and confidently pour their own water. However, at times the independence of younger children is not always fully promoted. This is because staff complete tasks for younger children which they could attempt or complete for themselves, such as putting on coats for outdoor play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes to play and learning. During imaginative play, children giggle as they take turns to look through a telescope. They play cooperatively as they go up and down on see-saws. When minor disagreements occur, staff support children to manage these. However, on occasion staff do not consistently support children's understanding of behaviours and the impact on others.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff implement assessments effectively to understand children's development. They plan activities that are based on children's next steps and interests, supporting children's enjoyment and engagement. The curriculum is generally implemented well by staff. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points.

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Needs attention

Staff promote children's communication and language skills. They use simple sounds and short sentences, which younger children copy. Staff read stories with enthusiasm and actively involve children in considering what happens next. Overall, children's mathematical development is promoted by staff. For example, they count spots on ladybirds, and children confidently use measuring tapes to see how tall they are.

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Needs attention

Staff encourage and provide opportunities for children to develop their fine and large physical skills. For instance, babies use their core muscles as they reach out for toys. Children use their upper bodies to make pictures on the ground with chalk and engage their leg muscles as they turn the wheels on a tricycle.

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Needs attention

Overall, staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well. Staff provide opportunities though games and activities to help children to develop their personal and social skills. However, there is scope to strengthen the consistency of staff interactions to further support children's development. For example, at times staff do not intervene quickly enough to support children in understanding and managing their feelings and emotions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide an inclusive and welcoming environment. Staff identify the needs of all children effectively, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to children's social care and those who may face barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff use observations and assessments to identify children's unique needs and how they can be best supported. Leaders and staff closely monitor children's development. This helps them to know if children are making progress or if adjustments are needed to children's individual support plans.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to share strategies and seek the support of specialists where required. Generally, staff support children's needs well; however, there are times when staff interactions are not as purposeful as they could be to help make a sustained difference to all children.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that additional funding is accessed for eligible children. They use funding appropriately to provide children with new experiences and widen their understanding of the world around them. Staff help children to learn about different cultures and celebrations, helping them to value and respect diversity.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Although relevant policies and procedures are in place, these are not always implemented well enough by staff to consistently support children's wellbeing, particularly at mealtimes. Staff are not deployed well at these times to provide children with all of the support they need while they are eating. At times, staff occupy themselves with routine tasks rather than attending to children. Staff provide meals that are healthy and meet children's individual dietary requirements.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Typically, staff support children's social and emotional development effectively. For example, staff use emotion faces on lanyards and stories to help children to talk about feelings and emotions. Sometimes, staff provide children with comfort and cuddles, helping them to feel settled. However, there are times when staff do not always promote children's emotional wellbeing. For example, when babies and children are upset, staff do not always respond in a timely manner to meet their emotional needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff understand and implement safe sleeping practices for babies and children. Staff implement secure hygiene practices; they wash their own hands prior to serving food and when supporting children with personal care. Children know the importance of washing their hands and tell staff it is to wash the germs away. Children have great fun outdoors. Staff provide a range of equipment and resources and encourage children to be physically active.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders implement annual staff appraisals and observations of practice. However, leaders' oversight and assessment of the provision and staff practice are not yet robust enough. As a result, leaders do not always have an accurate understanding of where improvements are needed to practice and provision, to further support children's experiences within the setting.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff wellbeing is prioritised by leaders. They encourage staff to acknowledge each other's achievements or when someone may be struggling. They provide each other with small gestures to let them know they are thought of. This helps staff to feel valued and cared about.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders regularly engage with parents. They provide family events for parents and grandparents to attend the setting. Leaders loan families resources and books to support children's home learning. Parents comment positively about the setting and staff. They explain that they receive regular updates about children's progress, including their next steps in development.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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

At times, leaders do not make sure that staff fully understand and consistently follow agreed procedures. For example, when children are eating, staff do not always implement expected arrangements for managing mealtimes. They do not always communicate with each other well or deploy themselves effectively over these periods to consistently promote children's wellbeing. Leaders' systems to evaluate the provision are not robust enough to help identify and improve weaknesses and inconsistencies such as these in staff practice, and also in areas for improvement in teaching. Despite these weaknesses, staff find out valuable information from parents to help support new children to settle and feel comfortable at the nursery. Key staff work effectively together to support children's transitions through the rooms and ensure that children are well prepared for their next stage in development.

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

Children's needs and interests are known well by staff. Staff ensure that they provide experiences to help children's continued progress. Children enjoy activities both indoors and outdoors and have many opportunities to be physically active. They confidently explore their environment and engage well with chosen activities.

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

Children enjoy their learning. For example, children play with staff at the sand tray. They scoop up the sand and place it into a large bucket. Children copy simple words modelled by staff, such as 'more', 'top' and 'big'. They show delight when staff turn the bucket over and there is a sandcastle. Children jump up and down and say, 'Yeah, we made it.'

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

Leaders and staff implement systems to monitor and promote children's attendance at the setting. Staff understand the importance of this on children's welfare and educational attainment.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that all staff understand and consistently implement practices to promote children's wellbeing at mealtimes 21/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the oversight and monitoring of the provision to help identify and provide targeted support to improve inconsistencies in staff practice 21/04/2026

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and parents and carers 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, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Address:

Rowallan Way Chellaston Derby Derbyshire DE73 5WX

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Dunnicliff Bros. Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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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

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 .

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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 .

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Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn . Store Street Manchester M1 2WD

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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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