Abacus Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settled in this welcoming nursery. They show confidence as they leave their parents with ease to begin their day.

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children's individual needs. For example, children who need extra reassurance from adults when they arrive are offered cuddles and provided with resources that are of interest to them. This helps children feel safe and develop a sense of belonging.

Staff have a clear focus on developing children's communication, independence, and personal, social and emotional development. The curriculum, although in its infancy, is well designed to provide ch...ildren with experiences to further their learning and development. For instance, children have developed a love of books.

They regularly select favourite stories and take these to staff to read. Staff are skilled at introducing new words to children, and they use the pictures to engage children in what they think might happen next. This further supports children's emerging language and communication skills.

Children generally behave well. Staff act as positive role models and ensure that they are consistent with behaviour techniques. For instance, staff praise the positive behaviour seen by children and correct minor disputes.

They remind children of how to play together cooperatively. This is further supported by staff understanding what the current interests are and ensuring that there are enough resources to meet children's needs.

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

As a new setting, the provider is passionate about developing secure relationships with parents and promoting the well-being of staff.

Together the staff regularly reflect on the routines and the curriculum to ensure that it is meeting the needs of the children. Furthermore, the provider, takes effective action to address any concerns, in order to promote children's safety. During the inspection, they took immediate steps to ensure that risk assessments are effective.

For example, they reflected on the width that windows open on the first floor and rectified this to ensure that children are safe.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff ensure that they gather information from parents to meet children's individual needs.

Furthermore, the provider liaises effectively with outside agencies, such as the local authority, and specialist teachers to ensure that the strategies they are using in the nursery are effective in progressing children's development. All children are making good levels of progress from their starting points.Staff begin to promote children's independence and personal hygiene practices.

For example, they support children to wash their hands before mealtimes. However, when staff wipe children's noses, they do not always give them the opportunity to have a go themselves or explain the importance of personal hygiene. Furthermore, staff are not consistent with handwashing after seeing to children's personal care needs.

Children enjoy the regular opportunities they have to be physical in their play. Older children show confidence in the garden and play together well. They initiate games that are based on their current interests.

For instance, when children are busy making 'dinosaur soup', the staff model writing this on the chalk board, and this then encourages the children to copy the letters making their own marks. Babies are provided with opportunities to develop their emerging physical skills as they climb and move with confidence over and around the soft play. Staff offer babies support and provide encouragement for them to try things on their own.

Furthermore, they introduce early mathematics as they count the steps that children take.The provider offers a thorough induction and offers training opportunities for staff to enhance and develop their knowledge and skills. However, the ongoing coaching and mentoring for staff, particularly those who work with the younger children, are not targeted enough to further strengthen their practice and help raise teaching to the highest level.

Staff gather and make good use of information from parents to help children settle, but also to ensure that they are meeting the individual needs of all children. During these initial meetings, staff also gather information regarding children's home lives, their cultures and religions to ensure that all children feel included. Regular information is shared between parents and staff during drop-off and collection times and through electronic communication.

This supports parents in understanding what their children are doing at the nursery and how to further support their learning at home.Staff offer a language-rich environment. They pose questions to extend children's thinking.

For example, as older children role play being doctors, staff teach children about different treatments, such as medicines and equipment. This allows children to learn new words and develop their social skills as they help to care for one another. Staff working with younger children develop children's speech through regular singing, action songs and sharing books.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop hygiene practices, so they are consistently followed, and ensure that hygiene standards are of the highest quality strengthen the ongoing coaching and mentoring of staff to help raise teaching to a consistently high level.