Little Raccoons Nursery Tollington

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Leaders have made some improvements since the last inspection so that children are now safe at this nursery. For example, they now ensure that all staff have the relevant recruitment checks in place and accurately record children's attendance on registers. However, there are still inconsistencies which mean that children do not yet receive consistently good quality care and education.

Children make variable progress in their learning. However, they engage well in the variety of activities on offer. For example, children happily explore the well-resourced garden, balancing over crates or playing parachute games.

However, s...taff do not support children to develop their communication skills consistently. Not all staff get down to the children's level to model high-quality interactions. Staff support children to develop their self-care skills well.

Children develop independence skills, which helps to prepare them for the next stage of their learning journey and builds their self-esteem. For instance, babies get their own cups to have a drink when they are feeling thirsty. Older children serve themselves food and scrape their plates after they have finished.

However, staff do not always support babies to independently make choices. At times, they lift them up and move them around without explaining what they are doing. At these times, babies do not learn to make choices about what they would like to do.

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

The nursery has been through a challenging time with lots of turnover of leaders and staff. This has impacted on staff, children and parents. However, current leaders understand the improvements which need to be made in the nursery and are working hard to address these.

The curriculum for communication and language is variable. Staff use songs to support children to develop their vocabulary. Some staff use high-quality interactions with children.

These staff model a wide range of interesting vocabulary as they play with the children. For example, staff talk about 'the slimy snail' as children observe a snail climbing up the wall. However, other staff do not narrate effectively as children play to support children to widen their vocabulary.

At times, staff do not use accurate English to model language to children. On these occasions, children make less progress in their communication and language development.Leaders do not have systems in place to ensure that staff are aware of any children who speak English as an additional language (EAL).

Therefore, staff do not consider children's additional languages when supporting children with their communication and language skills. They do not consider how to help children to develop pride in the languages which they speak.Too often, staff lift and move mobile babies around the room without explaining what they are doing or encouraging them to move to these areas themselves.

This does not support children to develop their understanding that they have choices about their own body.Leaders do not ensure that the key-person system is effective for every child. Some staff know what their key children need to learn next and plan activities accordingly to support these next steps.

However, other staff do not identify appropriate next steps in children's learning. At these times, they do not plan effective learning opportunities to help children to continue to make progress.Children develop their physical skills well.

Staff plan a wide variety of activities to support children to develop their fine motor skills. For example, children play with construction blocks, draw patterns with chalk, pour and scoop water or steer cars in the foam. Children have plenty of opportunities to move their bodies in different ways.

For example, children do the 'Hokey Cokey' with parachutes, ride bicycles up slopes, climb over bridges and balance over crates. This means that children make good progress in their physical development.Leaders support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) by working in partnership with parents and external professionals.

Staff use strategies recommended by external professionals to support children to achieve their targets. This helps children with SEND to make progress on their individual learning journeys.Leaders identify weaker practice by staff.

They are beginning to support staff to address this practice through modelling, discussions and training, to lead to improved outcomes for children.Leaders are working hard to strengthen parent partnerships. Staff share regular feedback with parents about their child's learning journey via an app, verbally and through parent consultation meetings.

Leaders invite parents into the nursery regularly to participate in events such as the summer fair and graduation. Leaders aim to be clear and consistent in their communications with parents. This supports children to transition between home and nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They understand where to look for key information about who to contact if they have a concern about the well-being of a child or the conduct of a member of staff.

Leaders keep their safeguarding understanding up to date through attending local authority safeguarding meetings. They have secure recruitment processes in place and carry out all necessary checks on staff.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure that there is an effective key-person system in place, where every key person is able to explain children's progress, next steps and plan how to support children to achieve these next steps 28/07/2023 ensure that there are systems in place to identify and support children with EAL so that they develop a sense of pride in their additional language and to support the progress that children make in their communication and language 28/07/2023 ensure that the curriculum for communication and language is sufficiently ambitious across every room and is implemented consistently 28/07/2023 ensure that staff consider how to consistently give children choices and to develop their understanding of consent around their bodies.

28/07/2023