Berrington Lodge Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are welcomed into a calm environment by happy staff. They smile as they arrive and are confident to start their day.

They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Children select their own resources from a well-planned environment. Younger children laugh as they share play experiences with their peers and enjoy story times together.

Children are eager to join in with activities and even the youngest children try hard to succeed in their learning. Staff know children well. They consider children's backgrounds and experiences when planning the curriculum.

Children's interests and developmental needs ...are known by all staff. All children receive targeted support when gaps in learning or barriers are identified. Children behave well and are supported by staff to manage their own feelings and emotions.

Children are confident to communicate their needs. When verbal language is a barrier, staff introduce sign language. There are secure arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or those for whom English is an additional language.

Younger children enjoy playing and learning within a large sensory room. They are encouraged by staff to try new activities, such as a barefoot walk in coloured sand. They develop physical skills as they catch and pass a large yoga ball and balance on soft play blocks.

Younger children lead their own learning, which develops their confidence and self-esteem. Together with staff, they act out 'Row, row, row your boat' in a large boat-shaped pool filled with clear balls. Staff support younger children's imagination as they join in with their play, using pretend oars to row the boat.

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

An effective key-person system is in place. Staff know their children well and understand their starting points. Staff analyse the information parents share with them during parents' evening and daily communication to help children meet their next steps in learning.

Regular reports are sent to parents to ensure children's learning and progress are shared. Parents' knowledge of their children is valued by staff and adds to the success of the day. Managers and leaders invite parents to have an active role in the organisation of the setting's curriculum.

Parents comment that they feel fully updated about their children's learning.During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the setting stayed in contact with those families whose children did not attend. Key persons regularly contacted families to support their well-being and share ideas for them to continue children's learning at home.

For example, seeds were sent home for children to learn about growth. During the pandemic, leaders adapted parents' evening procedures in line with COVID-19 guidance. They identified that parents who speak English as an additional language needed conversations face to face rather than over the phone.

To ensure all parents received the same opportunities, meetings were conducted outside for those families.Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors as they balance on tree logs and construct with crates. Older children confidently transport mud from the mud kitchen into different-sized containers and paint the outdoor walls with muddy paint brushes to make large patterns.

They are excited to show staff the bugs they have found and use a magnifying pot to look at them closely. Staff show an interest in what children have found. However, staff in the pre-school room are quick to tell children the names of the bugs, meaning children are not challenged to explore their findings and extend their own learning.

The setting is inclusive in its practice and staff recognise the needs of all children, including those who have SEND. Summaries of development are carried out termly, in partnership with parents, to monitor progress. Staff work with other professionals to ensure children receive the support that they need.

Younger children enjoy story time with their key person. They eagerly touch the pages and feel the textures in the book. Staff use words such as 'fuzzy' and 'bumpy' to describe what children are feeling.

Hand exfoliating gloves, sponges and other sensory materials are available for children to further explore similarities in the textures. Younger children smile as they rub the materials over their hands. At times, older children are unable to express their own ideas because staff do not give them enough thinking time.

Sometimes, staff are too quick to provide children with the answers and intervene in their learning. For example, when children make their own play dough, staff ask them what they need to make the dough wet and then immediately provide the answer, directing the children to add more oil to their dough.Managers and leaders are reflective and work well in partnership with each other.

They create ambitious ideas for improvement and adapt the organisation of the setting to support the different families that attend. The management team are passionate about their roles and are committed to moving the setting forward. They are clear about their strengths and weaknesses.

They effectively measure the impact that teaching and learning has on all children's outcomes, including those who receive funding.Robust procedures are in place to support children when they are transitioning into another room. Children visit their new rooms at different times of the day to familiarise themselves with the new environment and routines.

Key information about the individual child is shared before the visits, and key persons discuss children's learning styles, interests, and next steps for learning. Parents are fully involved in the process. Consequently, children settle well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff demonstrate a shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They understand how to protect children from harm.

Key persons understand that knowing their children and families well helps them to identify concerns about children's welfare. All staff have an excellent knowledge of the signs of abuse and understand wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty. They are clear about what procedures they must follow to report concerns.

All staff receive safeguarding training. Leaders use risk assessments to evaluate the environment, acting on those of high importance. They identify that some risks can be learning opportunities for children.

For example, they play 'sticky wall' when walking across the car park into the garden. Children know to run their hands across the building walls while staying together in a line.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to fully understand when to encourage children to extend their own play and learning provide children in the pre-school room with the time to process their thoughts and respond to questions before intervening in their play.