Benison Nursery School Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children of all ages enjoy days full of exciting learning at this nursery. They arrive eager to play with their friends and happily greet staff. Older children show their curiosity and imagination during outdoor play.

They create colour charts with paint and hunt for matching colours in the environment. Children also use magnifying glasses to examine bugs and refer to posters to identify what the bugs are. Younger children make pretend food from mud and water in the outdoor kitchen.

They become immersed in the texture of the sticky wet mud. Children eagerly use clipboards and refer to lists as they go and hunt for ingr...edients to add to their recipes. These activities help develop early literacy skills.

Children play imaginatively. They make cakes and pasta dishes, recreating their experiences from home. At other times, children concentrate as they attempt to rescue dinosaurs that have been frozen in ice cubes.

As they do so, staff introduce vocabulary such as 'melt' and 'dissolve'. Children show that they feel safe at nursery as they are keen to involve staff in their play. Babies approach staff for cuddles, particularly when they are feeling tired.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery is providing children with even greater support in relation to language and social and emotional development.

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

Leaders plan, and staff deliver, an engaging and challenging curriculum for all children. They provide children with exciting experiences that they might not otherwise have access to.

Children develop an abundance of skills in their cookery class and forest school sessions. They learn how to stay safe around water as they visit the local river. Staff have high expectations for all children and deliver activities that prepare children for the next stage in their learning.

Staff are enthusiastic and motivated. They are led by passionate leaders who strive to provide a high standard of care and education. Leaders regularly monitor staff practice.

However, feedback and development opportunities offered to staff are not always sharply focused enough to ensure that the highest quality of teaching is consistently achieved across the nursery. As a result, children do not always gain the intended skills.Staff support children's communication and language development.

They read stories and engage children in lively singing sessions. Children are keen to answer questions. They share their views and participate in interesting conversations.

For example, children eagerly explain how they discovered a 'really small' water vole in the outdoor area. These experiences develop children's vocabulary and help children become confident communicators.Children learn about healthy lifestyles and show great focus as they make healthy smoothies to enjoy at snack time.

Children follow the steps on picture recipe cards, saying 'one banana' and 'two strawberries', which helps develop their early literacy and mathematical skills. Children are beginning to correctly identify numbers in different contexts and form letters in their play. This shows mathematical and early literacy learning has been absorbed.

From an early age, staff support children to understand their emotions and feelings. Young children use mirrors to look at their facial expressions and discuss sad and happy faces. Older children enjoy a daily well-being session.

Staff support children to sit quietly, listen to calming music and focus on their breathing. This helps children to identify when they feel calm and relaxed. These activities help children to learn how to identify and manage their emotions.

Children challenge themselves as they learn to balance on tyres and eagerly climb up ladders and frames. This helps to develop their physical strength. Staff support children to develop their coordination and strength in their hands.

Children peel fruit and use knives to chop and cut. They pour water between containers and dig in soil to plant vegetables. As a result, children develop skills that will benefit them when they start school.

Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents give overwhelmingly positive feedback about the nursery. They feel valued and appreciate the 'nurturing approach' of the managers and staff.

Parents receive detailed information about their children's experiences and ideas of how to support learning at home. Staff share information about a 'book of the month' and provide activity ideas for children to complete at home. This helps children and their families develop a love of reading.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff are committed to safeguarding children's welfare. They accurately identify the potential signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm.

Staff know the procedures to follow if they are concerned about children's safety. Managers provide regular training, so that staff keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Staff ensure that children are able to play in a safe and secure environment.

They take steps to minimise any potential risks. Children demonstrate the ability to keep themselves safe in their play. For example, they safely use tools in activities.

All members of staff have paediatric first-aid training. They are confident to deal with any incidents or accidents that occur.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff development and feedback to further enhance the quality of teaching to a consistently high level across the nursery.