Spring – St Bart’s House

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy the challenging and motivating activities that staff plan for them. For example, younger children enjoy making paintings of different sea creatures and learn new songs about fish. Older children engage in interesting activities, such as creating models of the solar system.

Children learn about the importance of healthy eating. They grow and eat their home-grown produce, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage and parsnips. Staff build on children's interests well.

Children who like vehicles visit the local train station to excitedly await the arrival of the trains at the platform. Children develop g...ood communication skills and are confident to share their thoughts and ideas. Babies enjoy singing activities, and older children confidently answer thought-provoking questions.

Children freely express themselves and explore different types of art. For instance, older children create self-portraits, and babies make patterns in paint with items, such as celery. Children of all ages have good opportunities to develop and challenge their physical skills.

They enjoy exploring different ways that they can move their bodies. For example, they enjoy regular dance activities and baby ballet sessions. Children have opportunities to enjoy a variety of interesting team games.

These include cricket and basketball.

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

The managers closely monitor the good quality of education and care that staff provide children. They routinely observe staff teach children and provide helpful feedback to support their future performance.

This includes sharing ideas of how to extend activities to challenge children even further. This helps staff keep children engaged and motivated to learn.Staff work well as a team to ensure that the setting is hygienic and safe and, overall, they have succeeded in doing this.

However, they do not ensure that all children consistently understand and follow hygiene rules, such as wiping their nose.Staff make good use of regular and beneficial training. The managers provide a wide range of training relevant to staff, children and the setting.

For example, they provide staff with training on how to manage emotions. Staff have recently learned about the different ways children play and learn.Staff establish positive partnerships with parents.

They keep them fully involved and informed in their children's learning. Staff discuss each child's day with parents, including the activities they have enjoyed. Staff share daily photographs of the children's achievements.

They encourage parents to share what their children have enjoyed doing at home. Staff share helpful advice and tips for parents, such as sharing healthy recipe ideas.Staff know each child and their individual personalities well.

They establish a secure and trusting relationship with children. As a result, children are happy, confident and settled. Children have a good sense of belonging and positive well-being and self-esteem.

For instance, they arrive happily at the nursery and enjoy the company of staff.Staff have a good understanding of all areas of learning. Overall, they help children to gain skills to support their future learning.

For instance, children are encouraged to take turns and share during team games, such as tennis. However, staff do not consistently encourage all children to try and complete tasks that they are capable of, such as serving their own food at mealtimes and pouring their own drinks. This does not fully promote children's independence skills.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported by staff to make good progress. Staff liaise closely with outside professionals and implement useful strategies to support children. This includes using picture cards to support children's communication.

Staff attend beneficial training, such as simple signing, to help them use different techniques to communicate with children effectively.All staff help children to understand and respect other people's differences from around the world. This includes traditions of other countries and the languages they speak.

Children learn simple words, such as 'hello' and 'goodbye' in Romanian. Children learn about events traditional to a wide range of religious beliefs, such as Diwali and Hanukkah.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff, including the managers, have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection. They know who to contact to seek advice and how to follow up any potential concerns. Staff ensure that they keep their knowledge up to date and complete regular safeguarding training.

Staff complete thorough risk assessments to help keep children safe. This includes practice to minimise the risk of COVID-19 (coronavirus). For example, there is a thorough clean of all resources.

Children enjoy challenging activities where they have to think about how to stay safe. For instance, they safely use the large vertical ladder and climbing wall with confidence.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure staff encourage children to consistently be independent and complete tasks that they are capable of carrying out themselves support staff to fully understand the importance of making sure all children consistently follow good hygiene routines.