Little Robins Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Some areas of this nursery are not yet good.

The arrangements for teaching do not support children effectively to make the progress they are capable of. For example, children engage with foam letter shapes and make attempts to copy these letters on the board with their pens, but they do not know how to hold their pens correctly. Although children know the letter names and are keen to share this knowledge, they do not yet know the sounds that these letters make.

Staff do not yet understand the order that children need to be taught to acquire these skills that would enable them to make consistent progress over time. However..., children come into the nursery smiling and are greeted by warm, friendly and familiar staff. On arrival, children select from the resources that interest them.

They have built close relationships with staff, who know them well. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their care. Children learn to manage simple tasks for themselves, such as tidying up.

They develop independence. For example, children wash their hands and put on their own shoes. Children receive lots of praise from staff for their efforts and achievements.

This helps to increase their confidence in their own abilities. Because of the weaknesses in the quality of teaching, children do not gain all of the skills and understanding they need to prepare them for their next stage in learning and the eventual move on to school.

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

The curriculum for children's learning is not ambitious enough to ensure that children make at least typical progress in their development.

Although key persons have some understanding of each child's stage of development, they do not use this knowledge effectively to decide what children need to be taught. Therefore, children do not acquire the essential skills they need to build on their existing learning to prepare them for their next stage of learning. For example, children sit around a tray of cooked spaghetti with a range of one-handed tools.

They struggle to use the knives and scissors to cut the pasta as staff make no attempts to show children how to hold and use these tools correctly.Staff are kind and engage children in conversations. They routinely include counting and colour recognition.

However, most questions require limited responses from children. Staff do not ask children questions to extend their thinking or encourage children to use their wider vocabulary. This impacts on the progress that children make in their communication and language development.

However, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support through targeted plans. This ensures that these children make steady progress.Leaders and managers provide children with a clean and welcoming environment.

They provide staff with regular supervision and the mandatory training that is required. However, the monitoring of staff practice does not help leaders to identify or address the weaknesses in the quality of teaching and the interactions children receive. Therefore, leaders do not provide staff with the training and support they need to improve their understanding of what children need to learn when and how this can be taught.

The arrangements for some of the routines of the day do not help to maximise the time children spend engaging in purposeful play and learning. At times, children sit on a carpet together waiting and occupying themselves while staff set out tables in preparation for lunch and later when they prepare and set out activities. Consequently, children become bored and disengaged.

However, children do behave generally well. They respond well to staff's reminders to be kind to one another and routinely show good manners. This is because staff are positive role models, showing kind and respectful behaviours with each other and with children.

Children learn about living a healthy lifestyle. Staff talk about the food they eat and why it is good for them. They talk with children about the importance of brushing teeth and how physical activity helps them to be healthy.

Parents are happy with the nursery. They report that their children enjoy attending. Parents say that staff are friendly and supportive.

They value the feedback they receive about their child's care and learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff, leaders and the manager know possible signs and symptoms that indicate a child may be at risk of harm and abuse.

They know the local procedures they must follow to report any child protection concerns or in the event that an allegation is made against leaders, managers or any members of the staff team. Leaders undertake rigorous recruitment procedures, suitability and health checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work in the nursery. The required documents are well maintained and records are accurate.

This contributes to the safety and welfare of the children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date make sure staff focus on teaching the essential skills to prepare children for their next stage in learning 23/07/2023 improve the effectiveness of staff verbal interactions with children to gain the best possible outcomes for children's communication and language development 23/07/2023 monitor the quality of staff teaching more effectively to identify and address the weaknesses in practice through training, support and coaching that will increase their skills and understanding.23/07/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure that routines of the day do not impact on children's continued engagement in purposeful play and learning.