Polton Allstars Day Care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The manager and staff are working on developing and implementing a challenging curriculum for all children.

The staff are all new to the setting within the last six months and this has had an impact on the effectiveness of the key-person system, specifically in relation to children's learning and development. The manager provides intensive support in the rooms while staff continue to get to know children. For example, she encourages staff to read to children and sing songs during group circle time to help them develop new vocabulary and language skills.

During outside play, the manager gently reminds staff of children's i...nterests, and this prompts them to provide activities that children enjoy and engage in. Despite their newness, staff know how to meet children's care needs and have all had specific training to support them with any medical care that is required. Children benefit from established routines, and they show they feel happy in the nursery.

Babies enjoy cuddles as they fall asleep and are monitored effectively by staff. Staff are good role models for children. They help them to develop good social skills, model good manners at lunchtime and teach them how to be kind to others.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The manager has a clear vision for the curriculum and the skills children need to learn to help them prepare to start school. However, she has not embedded this with the new staff team, and activities do not always match children's individual learning needs to help them develop secure foundations for the future.Children show they feel safe and secure with the staff in the nursery.

Staff know how to meet their specific medical needs exceptionally well. Children are well cared for and benefit from being with staff who are nurturing and kind. Children show good levels of self-confidence and self-esteem.

They are aware of the clear, consistent behavioural boundaries and expectations of staff.There are times when children's key person is not present and they work in different rooms. This has an impact on how well staff know children's individual learning needs, and staff do not always communicate with members of the team to inform them of children's next steps.

On occasion, activities are repetitive for every child and lack purpose. This results in low levels of engagement from children, and at times they wander around the nursery.The curriculum for children to develop their physical skills is strong.

Staff help children to develop good levels of independence, and children take an active part in their own self-care. For instance, staff show them different ways to put on their own coat and promote their good health by encouraging them to drink water. Children thoroughly enjoy racing outdoors and staff challenge them to hop and jump.

Other staff model how to move the swings, and children persevere to develop this skill.The arrangements to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) require improvement. Although the nursery receives funding to provide one-to-one support for children, the support varies between staff, and interactions are not of consistently high-quality.

However, during one-to-one time in the sensory area with a key person, children respond and engage extremely well.Parents speak positively about the nursery and the staff. They are happy with how well their children have settled in and have seen positive changes in their language, social and emotional development.

Staff provide parents and families with information about how they can help children to continue to learn at home. Although staff share information about children's care and routines, they do not always accurately record any minor accidents children have during the day.The manager is very passionate about providing good care and education for children.

She shows commitment to making the improvements required and has a clear, honest evaluation of the nursery. The manager provides the new staff team with thorough induction plans and regular feedback. She models good practice in the rooms and actively promotes staff's positive mental health and well-being.

The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of significant changes to the nursery. This includes a change to the nursery name and changes in the directors of the limited company/governing body for the setting. Although there is minimal impact to children, this a breach of the requirements of the registration.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve and implement a curriculum to enable staff to decide what they want children to learn, and the most effective ways to teach it, to help children make good progress across all areas of their learning 07/04/2025 embed the key-person system to help staff plan challenging and enjoyable experiences that are based on a deep understanding of children's individual learning needs 06/03/2025 improve the arrangements in place to support children with SEND to ensure they benefit from consistently high-quality interactions throughout the whole day 06/03/2025 ensure an accurate written record of accidents or injuries and first-aid treatment is kept and provided to parents.

20/02/2025