Banana Moon Day Nursery Chipping Norton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy to be at nursery.

They benefit from being cared for by a consistent staff team and from seeing familiar faces when they arrive each day. This helps children to feel safe and children who are new to the setting, settle quickly.Children behave well.

They quickly learn about nursery routines and the simple rules that are in place for their safety. Older children confidently talk about these rules and are able to self-regulate many aspects of their behaviour. For example, children check themselves as they start to run inside because they remember they must use their 'walking feet'.

Children show... a positive attitude to their learning. They are keen to explore the resources on offer. They look forward to particular activities they have enjoyed before.

For example, children are excited when it is their day to explore the 'muddy area' in the garden. Older children enjoy coming together each morning to sing songs and greet their friends.Children benefit from a curriculum which is well planned, overall.

The manager has clearly identified what she wants children to learn during their time at nursery. She communicates this effectively to her team. Overall, staff work together well to deliver this curriculum through a range of interesting learning experiences.

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

The manager is a good leader. She has an ambitious vision for the kind of provision she wants to run. She is supported to deliver this by the provider and other professionals.

Staff feel valued and appreciated. They benefit from regular feedback about their performance and time and support to further their qualifications.Staff are very effective at supporting children's developing language skills.

They understand how important this is for children's future learning. As children progress through the nursery, they develop into very confident talkers and communicators. Older children show they have a wide vocabulary and are able to answer questions and take account of what others say.

Parents speak highly of the nursery and the staff. They especially appreciate the regular feedback on their children's learning and the suggestions for activities they can do at home. They found these suggestions very useful when the nursery closed due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Parents felt these suggestions really helped their children to continue to learn at home.Staff build a broad picture of what they want each child to learn in the long term. However, they do not always consider fully how best to break this down into manageable steps.

For example, staff provide activities to help children's mathematical progress without having a clear idea of the precise mathematical knowledge they want children to gain next.Children show they remember what they have been taught. For example, older children remember lots of facts about mini-beasts after spending several weeks learning about them.

Staff know it is important to children's learning to listen regularly to stories. Sometimes, they do not offer these at times that are best suited to an activity that requires children to be able to listen and concentrate well. For example, sometimes staff read to a large group of very young children at a time when children need to be called away one by one to change shoes or get ready for meal times.

Children concentrate well on their self-chosen play. Babies are delighted as they splash in water. They bounce their bodies up and down as staff sing to them.

Toddlers work together to mix water and soil to make mud. They discuss with each other what might happen if they add more water or more dry soil. Older children focus hard as they carefully draw and build with blocks.

The provider carefully plans the weekly menus to ensure children benefit from a healthy and varied diet. Staff introduce children to different tastes, such as herbs and spices. Children look forward to favourite meals, such as vegetable lasagne.

Staff help children gain a wide range of physical skills. They ensure babies have plenty of room to crawl and begin to walk. They sensitively help children to grow increasingly independent in meeting their own toileting needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff undertake regular training to help them maintain an up to date understanding of how to recognise and respond to the signs that a child may be at risk of harm or neglect. The manager regularly discusses safeguarding and related child protection matters with staff.

For example, it is discussed at all staff meetings and supervisions. Staff know they must act swiftly and effectively on any concerns they may have. They understand the importance of reporting safeguarding concerns beyond senior managers if they were ever unhappy with the response to any concerns raised.

Staff ensure the premises are safe and secure. They supervise children closely while encouraging children to take appropriate risks.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove planning to ensure staff have a more precise idea of the knowledge and skills they want children to learn next reflect on the best times to deliver different learning experiences, to ensure children are not interrupted from activities that require high levels of focus and concentration to maximise learning.