Fennies Raynes Park

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Babies and toddlers show familiarity with the routines at the setting and settle well on arrival.

Older children chat happily with staff about their weekend, such as a visit to their grandparents. Toddlers engage well in stories and discussions about feelings and emotions, and they learn to use related vocabulary. For example, they say a dragon may make them feel frightened.

Children behave well and learn to share and take turns during play.Children learn to make healthy choices. Staff use creative ideas to encourage older children to try different foods.

For instance, they provide opportunities for children t...o grow bean plants and read related stories to create opportunities for discussions around eating beans. Young children build confidence and take appropriate risks, such as climbing a slope, as staff teach them how to keep safe during such activities. The management team have high ambitions for individual children and plan a curriculum that supports their progress to the next stages in their learning.

They work well in partnership with parents, professionals and other settings to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

Leaders and managers have taken appropriate steps to address previous actions. They have evaluated and improved monitoring and accountability systems to ensure children's safety at handover times.

They understand their responsibility to report any safeguarding matters, including allegations, to relevant agencies and to inform Ofsted.Staff understand their role to meet children's emotional needs, including sleep times. They understand their responsibility to report any matters of concern to the management team to address any inconsistencies in staff practice.

They support children well to help them learn to regulate their behaviour.Staff work well together to develop a curriculum that aims to meet the needs of individual children. Children develop skills that help to prepare them for the next stages in their learning.

Babies explore moving in different ways. They benefit from sensory experiences that help to stimulate their learning, such as reaching out and popping bubbles. Toddlers build on their independence.

They learn to get their coat on in preparation for outdoor play. Older children develop an understanding of cause and effect. For example, they comment that too much paint may rip the paper.

Leaders and managers promote an inclusive ethos. Children who have not formed friendships with their peers are supported well to develop a sense of belonging with the nursery community and feel welcome. For example, staff introduce their parents to other parents and, at times, children are able to meet outside the nursery.

Staff use photos of children's family members, to support the youngest children's emotional needs and sense of identity well.Staff make good use of opportunities, such as children's play, to introduce them to mathematical language, including 'big', 'small', 'half' and 'full'. Older children learn to predict how far the toy frog can jump.

Babies and toddlers join in with games, such as 'What's the time Mr Wolf'. Staff use these opportunities to introduce children to numbers and counting.Babies are mostly well engaged.

However, some activities, such as when children move from playtimes to mealtimes, are not managed as successfully, to fully support their engagement.Staff promote opportunities for children to use their home languages in play. For example, children record their home language in the 'talking tin' and bring to the nursery to share with staff and other children.

Staff support children well to build on their vocabulary. Toddlers experiment 'rolling' different objects which helps them understand what the word means. However, staff have not fully considered ways to support individual children to join in conversations, particularly during small group activities.

Parents provide positive feedback about the key-person system. They state that the setting has made significant improvement since the previous inspection, particularly around consistency of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Self-evaluation prioritises an ongoing focus on strengthening a safeguarding culture at the setting. Managers take appropriate steps, including training, to improve staff knowledge of whistle-blowing procedures. Staff demonstrate an understanding of the procedures to follow should they identify child protection concerns.

Managers have improved the recruitment processes, for example, through safer recruitment training for relevant staff. New staff state that induction processes include discussions about specific risk assessments, such as the safe use of storage spaces in the rooms.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove the organisation and planning for the youngest children when they move from playtime to mealtimes, to better support their engagement strengthen staff skills to support children to take part in conversations, particularly during small group activities.