Babblebrooke Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy to go into the nursery.

As babies arrive, they quickly become settled in the sensory environment. Staff take time to get to know the children and carefully consider their needs as they plan their transition into the nursery. Staff plan opportunities for children based on their interests and are knowledgeable about the next steps in children's learning.

However, this is not consistent for all children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Managers do not always ensure that they work closely enough with parents or provide staff with appropriate coaching and support. As a result, some ...children with SEND do not always have the same opportunities as others to make progress in their learning.

Staff encourage children to treat each other with respect as they work together to create large structures. Children are proud to tell visitors how they have helped their friends. Leaders have created a curriculum to support children to thrive and feel like they belong.

However, staff do not implement this consistently. Furthermore, managers do not make sure that the progress check completed for children between the ages of two and three years are accurate and reflect children's current level of development. This means there is a delay in some children receiving the support that they need to make good progress.

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

The quality of education is not yet good for all children, particularly for children with SEND. On occasion, managers have failed to ensure that referrals to external speech and language support are made promptly. This delays access to additional support to provide the greatest impact on children's progress and outcomes.

The provider has now put in place effective and robust systems to ensure that referrals to outside agencies are timely and are monitored.The provider supports staff through appraisals, supervision sessions and training. Staff report that there is a strong focus on well-being.

All key persons observe children and make assessments, helping them to identify what children know and can do, However, this information is not always accurate enough to ensure that staff understand what support is needed for children. As a result, consistently good progress for all children is not supported effectively.Communication with parents is not always clear.

Not all parents know what their children are learning in nursery. Parents receive information about their children's day via a digital app. They are invited into the nursery during their child's 'focus week'.

Parents feel that their children are happy and safe.Daily risk assessments and routines are in place to meet the needs of children with dietary and medical requirements. Staff are skilled in recognising risks during play.

For example, they quickly clear up oats to prevent children from slipping. However, during the inspection, a large window on the front of the building was open for a short time. This compromised the security of the premises.

Nevertheless, leaders took immediate action to minimise the hazard and to improve the ongoing procedures when this was identified.Pre-school children develop good independence skills. They pour their own milk at snack time and serve themselves watermelon.

Staff support the pre-school children to learn good manners. The children say 'please' and 'thank you' and pass the snack bowls to their friends. However, inconsistencies in staff practice mean that younger children do not always receive support from staff to be able to develop their independence at mealtimes.

Children develop their physical skills well. Children have daily access to fresh air and exercise. Younger children use a small climbing frame.

Staff demonstrate to children how to move their bodies to reach the next rung on the ladder. Older children show their confidence in using a hand drill as they screw into balsa wood. Children pause to help and guide their friends when they can see they are struggling.

The nursery provides children with a healthy and balanced diet. Children learn the importance of hygiene routines. Leaders have recently arranged for a parents' session to develop children's knowledge of oral hygiene and how to take care of children's oral health.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is a suitable safeguarding policy in place and staff receive ongoing safeguarding training. However, some staff are not fully confident about all aspects of safeguarding.

Nonetheless, they know children well enough to identify any concerns and know to share concerns with the designated safeguarding leads. This means that there is no significant impact on children's safety, well-being and personal development. Staff receive thorough inductions when they join the nursery.

There are robust procedures for the safe recruitment of new staff to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

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 ensure that effective arrangements are in place to support children with SEND to make consistently good progress in their learning and that plans and strategies are shared with all staff to provide consistency for children 12/07/2023 provide staff with professional development opportunities to ensure all staff are confident about the curriculum and all aspects of safeguarding 12/07/2023 ensure that accurate information about children's learning and development and the next steps in their learning are shared with parents 12/07/2023 ensure all areas of the nursery are regularly checked and are safe.12/07/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff working with toddlers to fully understand what they want children to learn and to build consistently on what children already know and can do.