Apple Blossom Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The management team has not ensured that the highest levels of hygiene are maintained across the nursery. There are weaknesses in practice, particularly during toileting routines, that have not been identified.

This impacts on children's good health and prevents the nursery from obtaining a good standard overall. Despite these weaknesses, children enjoy the time they spend in the nursery. Staff support many aspects of children's learning and development well, overall, including how children develop independence.

This is particularly evident during lunchtime periods where even the youngest children develop skills such as p...eeling bananas. Older children show great skills in serving their own food and use jugs to pour themselves a drink. Children are encouraged throughout the nursery to develop their self-care skills, such as blowing their own nose.

However, they do not always benefit fully from the early education opportunities available to them. Staff do not always help children to develop a deeper understanding of hygiene practices and encourage them to take part in routines such as handwashing.Children behave very well throughout the nursery.

Staff provide gentle, consistent reminders of expectations that children respond well to. This is evident when staff support two-year-old children to share equipment when exploring paint using brushes and diggers.

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

Children's good health is not fully supported.

On the day of inspection, staff were not consistently vigilant enough to ensure that toilet facilities were clean before other children used them. Appropriate steps to prevent cross-contamination were not taken to prevent the spread of possible infection. However, when this was drawn to their attention, staff were attentive and took appropriate action.

The management team does not monitor staff practice well enough to identify inconsistencies in how some policies and procedures are implemented. Practices, such as thoroughly cleaning nappy changing mats after each child, are not consistent across all rooms and impact on children's good health.Staff do not consistently model good practice and help children to understand the benefits of handwashing, such as after having their nappy changed.

Children do not develop a deep enough understanding and a positive attitude towards these procedures and how this supports their personal development.Staff working in the room for children aged from birth to two years support them well, overall. High expectations for children's communication skills are evident throughout the room.

This is illustrated when staff sit alongside children as they play with small vehicles. They model the words 'red tractor' and children try to say this back.Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged is strong, overall.

This is particularly evident in the two- and three-year-old room when children access the outdoor garden. Superb support is provided for children to join in with games such as those with a large parachute. Children shake the material vigorously and shriek with delight when they run underneath with staff.

Funding is used very well by staff to provide intervention groups and support children's individual needs even further.Older children benefit, overall, from quality interactions from highly qualified staff. They thoroughly enjoy playing games in small groups where they learn about teeth.

Staff model words, such as 'molars', to support children's understanding. Children respond well to instructions and requests from staff. For example, when staff ring the hand bell, they know to tidy up.

Partnerships with parents are strong. From the moment they arrive with their children, high-quality information is shared between parents and staff. Children are happy to say their goodbyes and hold staff's hand to go to their rooms.

Children's learning is supported further at home with initiatives such as challenges to complete.Staff report high levels of well-being and feel well supported in their role. They feel the manager's 'open-door' policy works well and they can share anything they feel they need to.

Parents are involved in praising staff efforts. For example, they are able to put nominations in for particular staff members who they feel are worthy of additional recognition for their work.

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 and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve hygiene routines to avoid cross-contamination and prevent the spread of infection, to support children's good health.29/04/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen monitoring to ensure that policies and procedures are implemented consistently across the nursery to raise the quality of the provision further help children to develop a deeper understanding of how to look after their bodies and manage their own personal needs.