Fieldside Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at the nursery happy and eager to learn.

Staff know their assigned key children well and build close relationships with their parents. They take time to talk to parents, as they arrive, to find out about children and their families. Children confidently transition to other rooms, and staff are sensitive to their emotional needs.

Children are well behaved and try very hard to succeed at tasks. Staff provide challenging activities that inspire children to give things a go. Children get help from staff as they balance on an empty milk crate to access food in the shop.

Before long, they have master...ed doing it by themselves. They are delighted by their achievements.Staff use good strategies to support children's early writing skills.

For example, they encourage children to write their names on their drawings. Children sound out the letters at the start of their name. Children explore various materials.

They investigate how to get the conkers out of the ice and predict how many they will find. Staff encourage them to think about how many more they will need to make 10. These skills help prepare children for the next stages in their learning, including when they go to school.

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

Children are making good and steady progress from their starting points. They are challenged to make the best progress possible through the use of good tracking and monitoring by staff and management. Children receive focused learning time both individually and in groups.

However, the organisation of some group times means that older children are not always able to concentrate.Children thoroughly enjoy playing in the inspiring outdoor area. They develop a vast knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

They develop an understanding of a healthy diet and the impact of healthy food on their bodies as they grow fruit and vegetables and care for various animals. Children are excited as they go to collect the eggs from the hens and discuss how to care for them. Staff use these spontaneous opportunities to extend mathematical concepts.

For example, children are keen to tell everyone that they have collected 12 eggs and that is 'one dozen'.The provider has good recruitment procedures in place. These help to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff receive regular coaching and supervision from the manager. However, the programme for the professional development of all staff does not focus robustly on raising the quality of teaching to outstanding.Partnerships with parents are excellent.

Parents speak positively about the nursery and staff. They have a good knowledge of children's development and how to support their learning at home. Parents comment that children have progressed in 'leaps and bounds since starting the nursery'.

Parents appreciate the times they can join in with children's learning, such as during open days and sports days.The learning programme is consistently planned to build on what each child knows and can do. Staff understand how children learn.

They provide a wide range of exciting learning opportunities inside and outside. Children move freely around these activities, engaging and playing at their own pace, which helps them to absorb new ideas.Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning through high levels of curiosity, concentration and enjoyment.

They listen intently and respond positively to adults and each other. Children take pride in their achievements.Staff provide a raft of activities for young children and babies to investigate using their senses.

Various herbs and fruits are added to creative materials to encourage children to explore and experiment. Children giggle with delight as they taste lemons and smell the dough with cinnamon.Throughout the nursery, an abundance of books and literature support children's interest in and love for books.

Children understand that print carries meaning and competently use books and retell the story. Quiet, comfortable reading areas are conducive for children to read uninterrupted.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and the management team have a very good knowledge and understanding of all safeguarding procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child's welfare. Through the nursery's comprehensive policies and procedures, parents understand the role and responsibility of staff. Staff work closely with parents to increase their understanding of how to promote e-safety.

They undertake regular risk assessments of the nursery environment, and all issues are addressed. Staff support children to understand safety in their play, as children take measured risks when building dens and caring for animals.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: norganise group times more effectively to provide older children with opportunities to concentrate without distractions build on the programme of continuous professional development so that the quality of teaching is constantly improving.