Starfish Childrens Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Staff have clear expectations for children to learn to understand and manage their emotions.

They form close emotional relationships with children and skilfully gain their cooperation. Recently, staff have introduced a more structured day, with routines that have helped children to learn, behave well and feel happy and safe. Children in the pre-school group are active, enthusiastic learners.

They thoroughly enjoy practising their writing skills, for instance, as they decide to write a list of ingredients they use to make modelling dough. The support for some of the younger children is not consistently as effective. There ...are occasions when staff working with the younger children do not always use assessment well enough to identify and respond to any gaps in their development.

Therefore, some children do not progress as quickly as they could. However, where children have identified special educational needs and/or disabilities staff support them well. They work effectively in partnership with parents and other agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to help children move forwards in their learning and development.

Children progress well in their physical development as they enjoy spending time outdoors. For example, they skilfully and confidently ride and manoeuvre two-wheeled bikes around the garden, avoiding obstacles in their path.

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

Senior mangers have not met the requirement to notify Ofsted about a recent change of nursery manager.

On this occasion, Ofsted does not intend to take any action. The recently employed manager has worked with staff to identify and implement changes to improve the quality of the pre-school overall. For example, to continually improve the organisation of the indoor curriculum and activity planning and resources, which motivate children to explore and learn.

There are inconsistencies in the arrangements to monitor and assess children's progress. Staff working with the younger children do not always have a precise overview of children's progress, to identify where they may need extra support to catch up. Therefore, although all children have fun and have a positive attitude to learning, some are not making the progress they are capable of.

The provision for older children is more successful and their developmental needs are understood by staff and met well. This helps prepare children for future learning.Staff provide children with a language-rich learning environment.

They successfully develop children's vocabulary, for instance, by talking aloud and asking questions when younger children play imaginatively with role-play resources. Staff respond to older children's questions and skilfully explain the meaning of words. For example, when children ask about words such as 'extinction' and 'species' while listening to stories.

Staff develop positive, caring, emotional relationships with children. They focus strongly on developing children's confidence, independence and social skills. For instance, they thank older children when they help to tidy up and respond to their requests to be 'a helper' at lunchtime.

Children confidently use tongs to serve themselves food, such as jacket potatoes. Staff help children learn how to use cutlery and carry serving dishes safely. However, the snack time for younger children is sometimes not organised well.

For example, during the inspection, staff did not prepare enough space for all the children to sit at the tables, which resulted in some children having to wait a long time to eat.Staff support all children, including babies, to share and take turns. They remind children to be kind to their friends and to remember that this is one of the nursery's 'golden rules'.

Staff work well in partnership with parents to provide continuity for children. At the beginning and end of each day, they talk with parents about the activities and their children's progress. Parents spoken to during the inspection say they like the book lending library recently introduced for them to support their children's learning at home.

The manager uses robust recruitment and induction policies and procedures to employ staff. She makes sure that all staff currently working at the nursery have undergone relevant checks to identify they are suitable to work with children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date support staff to develop a secure understanding of how to identify and address any gaps in children's development.20/02/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review and improve the organisation of snack times, so that children do not have to wait for extended periods to eat.

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