Riverside Nursery Schools - Grosvenor House

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff provide a warm and stimulating environment that motivates babies and young children to explore from the moment they arrive.

Young babies settle well and have strong, caring relationships with staff. Children are happy and feel safe and secure. They enter the nursery confidently and settle down happily to an activity with staff or nestle contentedly in the staff's arms if they need comfort.

Staff sit with children and play alongside them, offering encouragement to help build their confidence. Children are encouraged to be independent and develop their physical skills well. Babies and toddlers know how to use cutle...ry at mealtimes and do so capably with little support from staff.

Staff have high expectations for children and plan a good range of activities across all areas to build on what children know and can do. All children make good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are good role models and children's behaviour is exceptional for their age.

Throughout the nursery, children are extremely kind to each other. Babies and young children show enjoyment of books and the stories read to them by staff. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop.

They encourage children to self-register and find their own picture card, which helps to develop children's independence and self-esteem. However, the setting does not extend children's language development as well as it could or take every opportunity to promote their creativity.

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

The manager is dedicated to the continual improvement of the nursery.

She includes staff's ideas and suggestions and provides staff with regular supervision sessions and support. Staff have opportunities to access training. For example, all staff have access to an online portal.

Staff communicate well with children. However, at times, they do not give children enough time to put their thoughts into words during discussion and when questions are asked of them. Staff do not make the most of some opportunities to extend the vocabulary of babies and younger children.

A highly consistent approach to care routines, behaviour management and expectations in all rooms helps children to feel extremely safe, secure and ready to learn. Children are highly caring towards each other. For example, younger children get a tissue for their friends and help them wipe their nose, and babies cuddle each other.

Staff make sure babies' home routines are followed. Babies are monitored when they sleep in the sleep rooms. Babies have very good opportunities to develop their growing physical skills.

The rooms are organised so that babies have plenty of space to pull themselves up on furniture and practise their walking skills.Staff provide children with challenges through effective adult-led and child-initiated play. They encourage children to explore and think critically about their play.

For example, children explore the play dough and enjoy stretching and rolling it. Children learn about winter and ice as they explore an Arctic scene.Staff provide children with some creative activities.

However, these can be quite limited in terms of textures and mark-making materials to enable children to express their own ideas independently.Although the nursery does not have an outdoor area, children have daily outings to the local parks where they can run around and develop their physical skills. Children learn about the community in which they live through a good range of planned outings to the local café and supermarket.

Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. The nursery promotes healthy eating. Children have a selection of fruit to choose from at snack time and freshly cooked hot meals are prepared by the cook.

The manager and staff team have built strong relationships with parents. Parents value the electronic system of sharing information about their children's learning. Parents are extremely happy with the service provided and the care their children receive.

They especially like the closed-circuit television in the entrance hall, where they can see what their children are doing and know they are happy and settled. Parents speak highly of the very good care their children receive from this approachable and helpful staff team.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are confident and informative when explaining child protection issues. They have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse, including wider aspects of safeguarding, such as the 'Prevent' duty. Staff are aware of their role and responsibilities and know the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child's welfare.

The manager and staff regularly complete relevant child protection training. The premises are safe and secure for children to use and are well maintained.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make the most of opportunities for extending the vocabulary of babies and young children, and give children more time to put their thoughts into words when talking with them and when asking questions provide greater opportunity for children to consistently and independently develop their own creative ideas by exploring a range of textures and mark- making materials.