Tilbury Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at the setting.

They arrive enthusiastically and hang up their coats independently before saying goodbye to their parents. Children learn about how things grow and change over time. For instance, the oldest children look at the differences between living and dying plants.

This helps them to understand about the world around them.Children develop their physical skills. They share bicycles and wheeled toys with one another.

They work together to make the wheeled toys move. Children follow instructions, such as ensuring that they all ride in the same direction. This develops their unders...tanding of how to move around the space safely.

Children received strong support during local lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, they watched online lessons and participated in online yoga sessions at home. These were led by the staff team.

They engaged in conversations with staff about where they live as they were spending more time at home. Children of key workers returned to the setting first. They built on their home learning experiences.

For instance, they helped to build a large home for bugs in the garden. As a result, children made connections between their learning experiences. Gaps in their learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic were minimal.

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

Parents speak very highly of the staff. They talk to staff about their children before joining the nursery. This helps staff to identify children's interests and initial starting points.

Staff monitor children's progress and discuss this with the manager regularly. This helps them to identify those children who may have specific needs. The manager uses additional funding that the setting receives to provide targeted support to those children who need it most.

Staff focus on children's emotional development. The deputy manager has completed specific training to support children. She shares her knowledge with the wider staff team so that all children can benefit.

Children identify how they are feeling when they arrive in the morning. They talk about what has happened during the day if their feelings change. This helps children to become aware of their own feelings and how others around them feel.

Children learn to communicate effectively. Older children talk confidently in groups. Staff encourage all children to share their thoughts and ideas.

This helps staff to assess children's knowledge and understanding of what they are teaching. Staff encourage children to use a range of vocabulary. For instance, they ask them to think of different ways to describe the petals on a flower.

Children respond by telling their friends that the petals are 'crinkly'.The manager provides staff with training and support in their roles. She has a robust recruitment process to ensure that staff are suitable.

The members of the committee are actively involved. They provide the manager with annual appraisals and support her with any issues that arise. For example, the manager and chairperson work together with the church to ensure that the garden area is safe and secure.

Staff know what they want children to learn. However, the support that staff provide to the youngest children during the session is not always effective enough. For example, some younger children lose interest in planned group activities and move to an activity of their own choosing.

Children are left to explore this activity by themselves without the benefit of adult input. As a result, younger children cannot always make the most of the learning opportunities on offer.Children have access to a wide range of books.

Staff encourage children to select books independently. However, children do not always have enough time to look at the books they choose. For instance, the older children look at books while waiting for their friends to finish snack.

Some children just start looking at a book and then it is time to tidy away and move on to the next activity. This means that not all children have the opportunity to develop a deep love of books and reading at the setting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a strong understanding of their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. They complete regular safeguarding training. The manager checks their knowledge frequently, such as during their regular staff meetings.

Staff recognise the possible signs that a child may be at risk of exposure to extreme views and behaviour. The manager has established strong professional relationships with the local authority. She liaises with them regularly, sharing relevant information.

Staff understand how to raise concerns regarding their colleagues. They are confident in the process to follow should they need to escalate their concerns further.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nadapt activities and session routines so that staff can fully support the youngest children to make the most of their learning opportunities make better use of opportunities during the session for children to engage fully in stories and develop a love of books and reading.