Little Ducklings

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The management and staff team have made some improvements since the last inspection. However, this is not yet effective in raising the quality of education to a consistently good level. Staff do not always deploy themselves so that children benefit from purposeful learning.

At times, this has a negative impact on children's level of engagement and behaviour as they must wait for staff to complete cleaning routines before they engage with the children. For example, children appear bored as they wait for a member of staff to be free before they may enter the book area. Leaders have not considered how to provide an effective method o...f communication between the rooms and management in the office, to ensure that the supervision of children is always maintained during daily routines and in case of an emergency.

There are inconsistencies as to when the daily safety checks are completed and recorded prior to the children arriving, which may compromise children's safety. Children are happy as they play with their friends. Staff model kindness and manners towards the children and each other.

This is replicated by the children as they take turns and share their toys. Children understand what is expected of them and understand the routines of the day. For example, when going outdoors, children calmly collect their coats and wellingtons in small groups.

This enables staff to support children as they learn to fasten their zips and put on their wellingtons. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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

Managers and staff are in the process of developing and embedding the curriculum.

However, staff do not yet deliver the curriculum to provide enough challenge for all children. During some activities, staff do not extend children's learning to help them to gain new knowledge and build on what they already know and can do. This hinders the progress that children make in their learning.

There is no effective communication between play rooms or the office. As a result, if staff need assistance to maintain supervision of children during care routines or in case of an emergency they must shout to staff in other rooms for assistance, or disrupt all children's play and take all children with them to seek assistance.Daily safety checks are not always completed prior to children arriving and are inconsistently recorded, despite procedures in place to do so.

Leaders confirm safety checks are completed but not recorded. This could compromise children's safety.Some staff engage children in wonderful conversations that extend their knowledge and understanding.

For example, when a child asks what the electricity sockets are, a staff member carefully explains what they are for and any risks to look for. She checks the children have understood and skilfully answers any further questions that they have. This promotes children's understanding and introduces new words into their vocabulary.

Staff promote children's independence well. At mealtimes, children serve their own meals and pour their own drinks. When they have finished, they carefully scrape and stack their plates to be washed.

Children develop independence skills from an early age.Information gathered when children first start at the nursery has been improved. This provides a child's key person with information on how best to support individual children's needs and interests.

As a result, children have formed positive relationships with their key person.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well by an experienced special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). The SENCo ensures support plans meet the needs and development of the children with targeted interventions.

She meets regularly with parents to check on children's progress, both at nursery and at home.Leaders ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children through comprehensive recruitment procedures. Staff inductions provide staff with the knowledge and understanding of how the nursery is run through its policies and procedures.

However, leaders do not always check that staff have read and understood these procedures. This results in some gaps in knowledge of new staff.Parents are kept in regular contact about their child's learning and development.

This is done through the electronic app and daily conversations as they drop their children off at their playrooms. Parents commented on the positive development of the children's speech and language while attending the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child could be at risk of harm. They know who to contact if they have a child protection concern. Staff are vigilant in the security of the nursery to prevent any unauthorised person from entering the property.

Leaders have safe recruitment procedures in place to ensure that only suitable people work with children in their care. A large majority of staff have completed paediatric first-aid training to ensure that they know how to respond appropriately to any medical issue.

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 help staff to identify when they can challenge children's learning and understanding further to consistently implement the curriculum in activities and experiences so that children make better progress in their learning 04/10/2023 implement an effective method of communication between staff in all rooms, to ensure the supervision of children is maintained during daily routines and in case of an emergency 04/10/2023 ensure that all staff follow the policy and procedures for completing daily safety checks prior to children arriving 04/10/2023 help leaders to ensure that new staff understand the induction process and have a good understanding of the policies and procedures to prevent any gaps in knowledge.

04/10/2023