Banana Moon Day Nursery Barnstaple

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have a lovely time in this nurturing nursery.

They have warm relationships with the staff who care for them. They have access to lots of interesting activities which they enjoy playing with. For example, toddlers enjoy exploring the wall puzzles that they can use independently.

Children enjoy moments of role play, for example when they pretend to be cooking food in a toy kitchen. Another group use computer keyboards and 'mice' to pretend they are 'at work'. Children are happy and confident.

They are kind to each other and play well together.Creative areas in each room offer plenty of opportunities to ...explore expression in different ways. Children enjoy gluing and making marks with crayons, and older children cut with scissors.

They enjoy exploring with different tools and materials. All children play outdoors and indoors often. Older children enjoy classes with a rugby teacher once a week.

They really engage in this class and love to run outdoors and develop skills playing with a ball. There are cosy rest areas in each room where children relax and look at books. Children have time to reflect on their emotions and feelings.

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

Leaders and managers have created an ambitious curriculum which they share well with staff. Staff plan interesting and engaging activities to teach the curriculum. Children enjoy these activities.

Managers and staff know the children well. They know and review children's development and plan next steps well. They challenge children appropriately.

Children make good progress in their learning and development. Older children are confident in mathematics. They know the symbols one to 10.

Some children recognise many letter sounds.Staff understand the importance of supporting children's language and communication. Staff support children to make progress by guiding them to develop a love of reading.

Staff read to children often and in an interesting way. They read books like 'What the Ladybird Heard' and 'I Want to Be a Firefighter'. This supports their 'people who care for us' project.

Staff speak clearly and ask children open questions. Children enjoy and contribute to conversations. However, staff do not always give children enough time and space to respond.

This results in missed opportunities to develop their language and communication skills even further.Managers and staff have high expectations for children. Behaviour is good, and children are kind to each other.

Staff support children to learn how to take turns and share. Children are beginning to understand how their behaviour impacts on others. Children are curious learners.

However, staffing arrangements do not always give children the focus they need during adult-led activities. As a result, opportunities for older children to engage in deeper learning and concentration are missed.Managers and staff support children to be independent.

They offer children opportunities to dress themselves after coming in from outdoors. Children pour their own drinks at mealtimes. Staff support children to manage their personal hygiene needs.

Children wash their hands often. Managers have installed 'nose blowing stations' in each room. These include a mirror, tissues and a bin.

Children have excellent skills and awareness in knowing when and how to blow their nose independently.Leaders and managers have created a positive environment for staff to work in. They place a high importance on staff well-being.

Staff feed back that they are happy in their work. They feel supported and know they can ask for guidance when needed. Staff enjoy working here, and there is a friendly team atmosphere.

Managers and staff have good relationships with parents. Parent feedback is positive. They are confident in the care their children receive.

They report children make good progress. Staff keep parents up to date with their children's progress. Staff are aware of the additional support children and families may need due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The nursery manager and staff are secure in their knowledge and understanding of the signs that may suggest a child is at risk of suffering abuse. They are confident in the procedures to follow and who to contact to ensure they keep children safe.

The manager uses a rigorous recruitment procedure. She conducts regular appraisals and suitability checks on her staff. Staff inductions are thorough.

The manager has created suitable safeguarding arrangements to keep children safe. Appropriate referrals to other agencies are made when necessary.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease staff support to enable more opportunities for older children's concentration and deeper learning refine adult-led activities to enable children to have more time to think and respond to questions.