The Old Station Nursery – Tressillian Road

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Staff are welcoming and children arrive happily at the setting. They are keen to start their day and confidently explore the environments, both inside and outside.

Staff are warm and build caring relationships with the children, which helps them to be ready to learn.The setting's leaders have worked to improve the quality of children's education. Despite the improvements, there are still some weaknesses in the implementation of the learning programme.

Leaders help staff to understand their role and responsibilities. However, some staff do not always embed the leadership team's aims for the learning programme. The quality ...of teaching is variable across the setting.

For example, children in the pre-school room and baby room receive better learning experiences than those in the toddler room.Staff provide a resourceful and well-laid-out outdoor area. This promotes children's development of their small- and large-muscle skills.

For example, children enjoy playing in the sand, climbing and riding on tricycles. Staff deployment ensures that children are receiving guidance and support in their play. This has a positive impact on children's learning.

Overall, children behave well. Staff help children to make good friendships at the setting. Children learn how to play together cooperatively.

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

Leaders would like to make more improvements to support better learning outcomes for children. They continue to put plans in place to address this. However, staff working with toddler-aged children do not equip the environment to enable them to learn and develop their interests well.

For example, colouring pens and aprons are not accessible for them. Toddler-aged children do not consistently receive a learning programme that supports their interests.Staff working with babies receive training to understand how to support this age group.

Staff respond well to babies and encourage them to explore and develop their curiosity. For example, staff help them to develop their walking skills and to develop their hand-eye coordination. Babies are secure in the environment and independently choose resources that interest them.

Throughout the setting, staff create displays of children's families, celebrations and cultural events. However, the displays are too high for the children to see. The experiences to learn about what makes them unique, their similarities and differences in our diverse society are limited.

Pre-school children enjoy making pretend ice lollies. They pour and mix colours and make simple predictions about the results. Staff support them with open- ended questions to find out what the children know and need to do next.

This supports children's curiosity and imagination.Overall, children are independent. For example, staff support and encourage toddler-aged children to wash their hands before they eat.

They serve themselves food at mealtimes.Staff supervise and observe children appropriately as they move around the setting, for example, with using the stairs safely. However, staff do not consistently support children well to manage their own risks in other ways.

For example, when the younger children spill water during play, staff do not explain the risks to them.Overall, parents comment that they like the recent improvements. For example, staff share information about their children's day.

However, their children's key persons do not share information about their progress. Staff do not offer ideas to extend children's learning at home. Furthermore, the progress checks for children aged two years are not completed well enough to identify emerging gaps in children's learning and development.

This leaves children at risk of falling behind.Leaders value staff. They know them well and offer them support.

Staff enjoy working in the setting and they work well as a team. For example, all staff, including leaders, are determined to make further improvements to help children get the best start in their learning journeys.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The environment for children, staff and visitors is secure, clean and safe. The manager and leaders ensure all staff are trained in safeguarding. Staff generally demonstrate an understanding of their role in keeping children safe.

Daily risk assessments are completed and monitored by the manager. Staff are alert to signs that indicate children may be at risk of harm and know who to refer their concerns to. The designated safeguarding leads are aware of reporting procedures, including allegations against staff.

Recruitment procedures are secure and effective, and all those working at the setting are suitably vetted.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date improve staff's understanding of how to implement an effective curriculum that considers the interests and needs of the individual children 30/11/2023 strengthen the key-person system and information sharing with parents to ensure that all parents know their child's key person and next steps in learning.30/11/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the process for completing progress checks for children aged two years, including evaluating the development of children and sharing this with parents provide more opportunities for children and staff to value and share their languages, backgrounds and traditions develop staff's understanding of how to ensure that children understand risks during activities, to keep them safe.