A NURSERY in Kinmel Bay is celebrating after a surprise inspection last month led to it being rated “excellent” in all categories.

Little Lambs Day Nursery, on St Asaph Avenue, was visited by members of Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) on July 4, having not been inspected since November 2019.

The inspection report which followed was published last week, and saw Little Lambs achieve an “excellent” rating in all areas – wellbeing, care and development, environment, and leadership and management.

Samantha Maitland-Price, the nursery’s registered person, hailed the “amazing feedback” recorded in the report – especially, she said, given it was an “unannounced CIW inspection”.

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Extracts from a summary of CIW’s report read: “Children are happy, settled and confident in their surroundings. They make friends and have formed strong, positive bonds with the staff, and confidently express their views and preferences.

“Children thoroughly enjoy the activities available to them. They are curious learners and are naturally motivated to explore their environment.

“Staff have an excellent understanding of the setting’s policies and implement them effectively to promote children’s health and safety.

“People who run the setting ensure children are cared for in a safe and welcoming environment, where risks are managed effectively.

“They provide excellent opportunities and activities to enhance children’s and parent’s well-being.

“Extremely positive partnerships are formed with parents and the local community, which are beneficial for all involved.”

Inspectors noted that children at Little Lambs “clearly feel secure in their surroundings”, and interact well with each other.

For example, during the inspection, children worked effectively together to create a tunnel and tracks for the toy vehicles.

Children were also said to “approach staff for cuddles and reassurance when they need it, knowing that this will be provided promptly and without question”.

Staff were seen to interact with children with “warmth and affection”, and appeared "highly confident regarding their duties to protect children”, meanwhile.

Safeguarding training has been carried out and is updated regularly during team meetings and staff supervision sessions.

Inspectors also commended staff for providing a “varied” range of activities for children, particularly ones which are based outdoors.

There were also found to be “highly effective systems in place” to monitor any potential safety hazards for the children, while the nursery’s play areas were described as “welcoming”.

While the nursery’s current use of the Welsh language was felt to be “limited”, those who run Little Lambs have highlighted this as one of their priorities for improvement.

Its leaders were labelled “enthusiastic and passionate about their work”, sharing a “clear vision for the setting”.