Aunt Mary’s

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The nursery has undergone several changes since the last inspection, including new ownership. There have been significant changes to staffing since the COVID-19 pandemic.

This has resulted in a relatively new staff team. The current arrangements for monitoring staff practice do not fully identify all areas for improvement and staff training needs. For example, new staff do not consistently follow some of the settings policies and procedures.

Consequently, care practises do not help children to learn how to manage their personal needs and behaviour appropriately. However, the experienced manager has begun work with new and... less experienced staff to help them develop their skills in implementing the curriculum. Staff are friendly towards children, as such most children settle and enjoy exploring the environment.

Children are happy and play creatively, often leading their own play. When children are upset staff offer them reassurance by giving hugs which helps children develop self-assurance. However, some staff do not fully support children to effectively manage their emerging feelings.

For example, when children show frustration or impatience staff do not model appropriate behaviours and responses. This means that children do not learn how to regulate their own behaviour appropriately.

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

The owner and manager work well together.

Staff report that they feel well supported by the owner who attends the setting regularly to support all aspects of the staff's work. Together, the owner and manager have identified some areas of practice and elements of the provision that need to improve. However, the overall self-evaluation and monitoring of staff practice is not effective in bringing about continuous improvement for children.

Staff do not consistently promote the good health of children. This is because staff do not receive the support and modelling they require to enable them to follow the settings care practices fully. For example, staff change nappies using the same gloves for multiple children and do not wipe down the changing mat in between use.

Staff do not always ensure that children wash their hands after using the bathroom or before eating meals. Furthermore, toothbrushing and nose wiping regimes are not implemented hygienically. Children do not learn the healthy habits they need to become increasingly independent in meeting their own care needs.

Staff do not deliver the managers curriculum for personal, social and emotional development successfully. This is because some staff do not have the skills required to support children to behave well. For instance, when children struggle to take turns, staff remove the item from children rather than teaching them how to share.

This means that children's behaviour sometimes impacts negatively on theirs and others learning.Staff provide children with activities that support their speech, language and communication skills well. For instance, babies learn how to use some baby signs to communicate.

Older children join in with 'looking and listening' sessions to help them tune in to language. Staff read and sing to children often. For example, babies delight in finding the shark fin in the book 'Shark in the park'.

Children learn new words, begin to understand how language works and use it in their interactions.Staff encourage children to develop some independence skills. Staff support children to manage age-appropriate tasks such as putting on their own shoes when playing outside and drinking from an open cup.

This helps children to develop the confidence to do things for themselves and gain appropriate physical skills to support their onward education.The manager has a good understanding of her role and responsibilities to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with staff, parents and external agencies such as the local authority team to make appropriate referrals to obtain extra support when needed.

This means children access the early intervention they need.The manager and staff share the children's learning with parents and/or carers via an online tool. Additionally staff provide parents with ideas of ways to support their children's progress at home.

Parents are positive about the support they and their children receive at the nursery. Parents are engaged with their child's learning and development.

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, the provider must: Due date ensure that good hygiene practices are followed throughout the routines of the day to promote the good health of all children.24/06/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to implement effective behaviour management strategies that support children to regulate their emotions more effectively nimprove the monitoring of staff practice to identify weaknesses and provide appropriate support and training so that staff effectively fulfil their roles and responsibilities.