Best Friends Day Nursery Chester Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of education and children's overall experience in the nursery is variable.

Some children who are new or less confident, are visibly unsettled and upset. While staff are caring, they do not put measures in place quickly enough to ensure these children receive the emotional support that they need to feel secure and settled to become confident learners. Overall however, children show that they are happy and feel safe as they become absorbed in the activities available.

Some staff do not know how to engage with children, particularly when outside. Staff stand around rather than interacting with children and engagi...ng them in purposeful learning opportunities. Although leaders offer some direction to staff about how to interact and support children's play, this is not sustained.

That said, children skilfully operate wheeled toys and navigate the space available. They enjoy making marks on the ground with chalks and running around with their friends. Overall, children behave well.

Young children are developing essential skills in turn taking and sharing and they listen well to instructions. However, staff do not consistently explain to children why some behaviour is unwanted. This means that children do not develop an understanding of the consequences of their actions.

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

The nursery has been through a significant period of change and has faced challenges recently around staffing and recruitment. Leaders recognise failings and are determined to bring about positive improvements. This includes closely monitoring staff practice, policies and procedures and implementing training for existing and new staff.

The weaknesses identified do not have a significant impact on children.Staff do not consistently implement the nursery's policy regarding nappy changing. Occasionally, staff forget to change their gloves in between children's nappy changes.

This creates potential for cross infection and impacts on children's health and well-being.Leaders recognise the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are aware of the decline in communication and language skills and as such, this is a focus of their curriculum.

Staff narrate as children play, label objects, introduce new vocabulary and ask questions. However, when talking to children they do not always model words correctly. For example, they use the terms 'doggy', 'birdie' and 'germies' which does not effectively support children's developing language skills.

Staff plan activities that reflect children's interests and address what they need to learn next. The curriculum builds sequentially on what children already know and can do. There are appropriate arrangements in place for assessing children's progress.

This information is shared with parents so they are able to support their child's learning at home.The well-resourced play areas help to motivate children's interests. Children freely make choices in how and where they play, enabling them to follow their own ideas.

Babies enjoy using instruments as they sing their favourite songs and join in with familiar actions. Toddlers explore different fruits and vegetables when playing in the home corner. Pre-school children develop fine motor skills in readiness for writing as they use dough and scissors.

Children are making progress in their learning.Children are developing independence and self-care skills. Young children wash their hands before eating and demonstrate an awareness of routine and what is expected of them.

Older children skilfully serve themselves meals and snacks. They select their own breakfast cereals, pour their own drinks and tidy away after themselves. Special helpers are chosen to assist at mealtimes and children relish this responsibility.

Children learn about the world around them and their place within society. They frequently visit places of interest in the local community and find out about other cultures through special events and celebrations. Children develop an awareness of the environment and sustainability through their play as they use recyclable materials and repurpose objects.

Leaders have placed a strong emphasis on supporting the family as a whole and not just the children that attend. They recognise the varying needs of their service users and, as such, support families to gain any additional support and help that they may need.Parents' comments are positive.

They describe the friendly and approachable staff team and how much their children enjoy attending. Parents feel well informed about what their children have been doing at nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure that all staff consistently implement the nursery's procedures when changing nappies to avoid cross contamination.03/05/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove staff interactions with all children, including when outside, so that children continuously benefit from good quality care and education and quickly receive the emotional support they need to help them to engage in learning opportunities help staff to manage children's behaviour more effectively so that children gain an understanding of the consequences of their actions strengthen staff's understanding of the importance of modelling language correctly.

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