Angels by Day Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are welcomed into a homely environment. Babies form warm attachments to their key person, as they smile and snuggle into them for comfort.

Children are curious as they explore a wide range of natural resources. In the toddler room, children explore unfamiliar objects such as reels, pine cones and conkers. They use these resources to print and mark make with paint.

Children demonstrate they are happy and feel safe as they laugh with their friends during circle time.Children benefit from practitioners' high expectations for their learning. They develop their mathematical skills while playing with the toy safari ...animals, by counting the spots on a cheetah.

Children discuss different colours and weights of play dough, and practitioners provide supporting language such as 'heavy' and 'light'. Pre-school children relish in the outdoor experiences in the mud kitchen. They explore their imaginations by creating 'wiggly worm cakes'.

Practitioners extend children's communication and language skills by asking questions. Children display excitement as they pretend to be weather presenters. They watch a weather broadcast and take photographs of each other on the computer tablet, supporting their understanding of technology.

Children are respectful of each other. They behave well as they take turns during singing sessions and use manners such as 'please' and 'thank you'.

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

Children benefit from experiences out in the local community.

They write a shopping list and take a trip to the local supermarket to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. They learn about new textures and tastes as they participate in a food tasting session, sampling the food they purchased. Children also walk to the river to feed the ducks, and they learn about what they eat and where they live.

For some children this is their first experience of wildlife.Babies are very happy to explore their environment, promoting their confidence and physical skills on the low-level climbing frame. They check in with their key person regularly for comfort and reassurance.

Practitioners are very attentive to the needs of the babies. They read books to them softly and encourage them to make animal sounds.Practitioners plan a wide range of interesting activities.

For example, they provide twice daily, morning and afternoon, phonics sessions for pre-school children to encourage early reading, speech and language skills. However, practitioners do not carefully consider the individual abilities of children when planning these activities. As a result, some children struggle to engage and concentrate.

Practitioners work well in partnership with parents and outside agencies. Managers attend development meetings to support the children and their families, when needed. Children's school readiness is supported well.

Managers encourage teachers to visit the children to support their transition to school. Children are also encouraged to develop self-help skills in preparation for school. For example, they are encouraged to serve themselves during mealtimes, and put on their own coats before going outside to play.

Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment that they particularly value the long-standing service of practitioners. This fills them with confidence that their children are being well cared for by practitioners who are familiar and experienced.

Managers follow secure procedures for the safe recruitment and induction of new practitioners. They hold regular supervision meetings and monitor performance to help practitioners to continually improve. Practitioners are highly qualified and have access to a wide range of training opportunities.

As a result, children are supported well to make good progress in their development.Children learn how to safely negotiate their way across planks in the garden. They learn new skills as they practise balancing and jumping off when they get to the end.

This builds on their physical skills and helps them to develop confidence. Children have fun and happily work together as a group while playing with the parachute. This promotes their social skills as they play alongside others.

Children are offered a variety of fresh fruits at snack time. During mealtimes, practitioners support children's understanding of healthy eating by discussing the vegetables on their plates. However, they do not always ensure that packed lunches brought in by children are healthy and nutritious.

As a result, children are not consistently taught about healthy eating.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Practitioners have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse.

They are aware of how to respond to potential safeguarding concerns promptly, to ensure that children are protected from harm. Managers and practitioners attend meetings and complete training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. This ensures they understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

Practitioners complete daily risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor environments, to ensure children's well-being and safety. Managers ensure the setting is securely maintained and are vigilant in ensuring no unauthorised person can enter.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: plan activities using the interests and individual needs of children, to ensure all children have the best learning opportunities nensure practitioners promote and implement consistent messages to parents about healthy eating.