Little Raccoons Day Nursery (Pinner)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are safe and happy in this warm and nurturing environment. Children are proud of their nursery and confidently show visitors their favourite displays and activities.

They have strong bonds with staff and are quick to approach them if they need reassurance or comfort. Children make good progress in all areas of the curriculum through participating in well planned and interesting learning opportunities. For example, children work in a small group to mix paint and flour together.

This helps them to develop the strength in their hands and to practise taking turns. Children are very well prepared for the next stage... of their learning journey, such as school. They develop their independence well.

For example, children serve their own food, scrape their plates when they have finished and help to tidy up. During circle times, children learn about emotions. They express how they are feeling and the reasons for this.

Children confidently describe their feelings and understand the feelings of their friends. This helps them to form positive relationships with their peers. Children learn to look after the natural world around them.

For example, they carefully sing songs to snails and remind their friends to be gentle with them.Staff have high expectations for all children. They work hard to meet the needs of each individual child so that they fulfil their potential.

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

Leaders are clear in what they want children to achieve through the communication and language curriculum. Staff name what babies are looking at or playing with. This helps babies to start to make connections between what they are playing with and associated words.

Staff use visual actions as they speak to toddlers and pre-schoolers. They prompt them to ask for help by scaffolding this for them. For example, staff model to children how to ask if they can have a turn, and then children practise saying this.

Staff sing lots of songs with children and narrate what they are doing as they play. This helps children to build their vocabulary and make progress in their language development.Staff carefully plan how to help children develop their physical skills.

Children ride bicycles, carry pots of water and climb on a climbing wall in the garden, having fun as they play. During activities, children learn to develop their fine motor skills. They focus well on squeezing sponges and paint bottles and connecting small parts during various activities.

Leaders identify any concerns they may have about any areas of a child's development early. They work closely with parents and external professionals to put additional support in place for these children. Leaders ensure that children receive any funding they are entitled to and think carefully about how to use this funding to support children's needs.

Leaders work closely with feeder schools to ensure a smooth transition for children.Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Staff celebrate their languages by using key words and singing songs in children's home languages.

This helps children to have a sense of pride in their home language and develop their communication and language skills.Staff confidently explain progress that their key children have made and what their next steps are. They then plan how to help children achieve these steps.

This leads to children making good progress from their individual starting points.Since the previous inspection, a new manager and deputy manager have been appointed. They have led improvement within the setting.

Staff morale is high and the atmosphere is a positive one. Staff work collaboratively and communicate respectfully as a team. The manager has introduced effective systems of supervision and training to support staff.

Staff are offered training based on their needs and requests. This has led to improvement in the outcomes for children.Partnerships with parents are strong.

Staff communicate well with parents verbally and via an app. They keep parents updated on what children are learning and how they can support their children at home. This helps children to transition smoothly between home and nursery.

There are occasions when staff do not use the correct grammatical structures in their speech, for example when they say, 'We can go garden soon'. At these times, this does not model language correctly to the children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have good knowledge of what to do if they have concerns regarding a child's well-being. They attend regular training to ensure their safeguarding knowledge is kept up to date. Important safeguarding information is clearly displayed in the setting for staff to access if necessary.

The manager has a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and knows where to go for further support if necessary. Leaders use effective systems to recruit staff and to ensure their ongoing suitability.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure that staff always model accurate grammatical structure in their speech to support children in their communication and language development.