Banana Moon Day Nursery West Bromwich

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show that they are happy, safe, and settled in this warm and welcoming nursery. The key-person system is effective. Children quickly develop close, strong bonds with the caring and nurturing staff.

For instance, babies who are new to the nursery enjoy cuddles with staff as they arrive and are supported to settle. Staff have good knowledge of the children's needs and praise them regularly throughout the day. This supports children's confidence and self-esteem.

Staff have high expectations for all children. They set out a range of activities to suit children's interests and provide a balanced curriculum. Childre...n make good progress and thrive at this nursery.

They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and are motivated to explore and investigate the stimulating learning environments, indoors and outside. Children are well behaved. Staff help children to understand the rules and boundaries in place.

Children learn to share and take turns, with support. Children develop good independence skills. For example, children learn to put on their coats, collect a tissue and wipe their own noses, and wash and dry their hands.

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

Since the last inspection, the curriculum has been designed by the Banana Moon Franchise Head Office Team. Overall, the quality of teaching practice is good. Staff use their knowledge and assessments of children to extend their learning.

Staff engage very well with children and build their confidence to talk and express their needs. Managers coach and support all staff to enhance the good teaching practice.Children enjoy listening to stories on their own or as part of a group.

Overall, staff use books well to develop other areas of learning. For example, while listening to a story about a life cycle of a penguin, children develop their mathematical knowledge. Staff help them to consider the difference in the size of chicks and adult penguins and the time it takes for the chick to hatch.

Staff introduce unfamiliar words, such as 'hatching' and 'incubating', to help develop children's vocabulary.Children take part in a wide range of learning opportunities. For instance, they enthusiastically make their own pizzas, choosing from a variety of healthy options.

They discuss their favourite pizza toppings as they measure and stir their ingredients. Children share roles and cooperate with their friends.Staff seize opportunities as children play to extend their learning.

For example, during a building activity, children look at photos of different religious buildings, such as mosques, palaces and temples. Children attempt to reconstruct these places with their bricks. Staff encourage them to name the shapes and patterns they need and discuss length and height.

Staff understand the importance of supporting children's communication and language development. They engage in conversations with children as they play. For example, they ask older children questions and listen to what they have to say.

Staff sing familiar songs and nursery rhymes to babies. This encourages babies to begin to copy sounds. However, sometimes staff do not adapt their teaching to maintain children's listening and attention during group activities.

As a result, some children leave the group.Children can choose to play outside in all weathers. Children learn to take manageable risks.

For example, they use wooden planks and crates to build structures that they carefully balance along. Children learn about healthy food choices at snack time and lunch. They learn how to look after their teeth through activities and discussions.

However, sometimes routines, such as toileting, can interrupt children's play and learning. This particularly refers to times when children are disturbed when they are engaged in planned activities, such as story sessions or group activities.Despite the COVID-19 restrictions in place, resulting in parents not going into the nursery, the manager and staff team ensure that they keep parents fully informed.

Staff share photos and regular updates with parents. This helps parents to talk to their children about what they are doing at nursery and extend their learning at home. Parents speak highly of staff and managers, and about the care and support their children receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All managers and staff understand how to identify the signs and symptoms that could indicate a child is at risk. They know procedures to follow to report any concerns about children's welfare or the behaviour of another adult.

The manager makes sure that all staff take part in training to keep their knowledge of child protection and safeguarding up to date. The manager ensures that staff are suitable for their roles by conducting thorough background checks on all staff. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children.

They undertake risk assessment of the play areas, inside and outside. This helps keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: refine the organisation of daily routines to avoid interruptions to children's play and learning, particularly during story times and when group activities are taking place support staff further to adapt their teaching during group activities to consistently support children's listening and attention skills.