Blossoms Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at the nursery happy and excited for their day ahead. They are greeted by their key persons with warmth and affection.

Children lead their way into their rooms with confidence. They are involved in self-chosen and exciting activities from the moment they arrive. For example, younger children are engrossed in filling containers with wet sand, while older children enjoy making play dough and looking for toy sea animals hidden in coloured rice.

Staff teach children good manners and how to recognise and manage their behaviours. They set clear boundaries and provide effective support, with warmth and underst...anding, for children who struggle to regulate their behaviour. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning through their high levels of involvement and concentration.

They show they feel proud to follow the rules. For example, children who ride balancing bicycles in the garden know they must stop and wait if someone is in their way, to keep everyone safe. Children gain the knowledge and skills needed to prepare them for their next stages of education.

They become increasingly independent in managing their personal care routines and hygiene practices. Staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. As a result, children are skilful communicators.

They hold meaningful conversations with adults and their peers. For example, children tell visitors about their favourite activities and the toy sea creatures they found in the nursery.

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

Managers have devised a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge.

Staff receive support and training to help them to teach children new concepts and create hands-on experiences that build on their knowledge over time. For example, children learn about sea life by fishing out toy sea creatures from a small aquarium. They recognise them and categorise them according to their main characteristics.

However, at times, staff do not check children's prior understanding of concepts by asking open-ended questions and encouraging them to discuss their ideas and make further enquiries to extend their learning.The curriculum is ambitious for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children who need early intervention are identified promptly, and a plan is devised to support their needs.

However, at times, staff do not seek parents' consent fast enough to involve external professional agencies. This means that some children wait longer for a referral to a specialist.Staff teach children early mathematical concepts, including counting objects.

Children count while hopping in the garden, measure time with sand timers and fill up measuring jugs with water.Staff create a literacy-rich learning environment that provides many opportunities for children to read and write. For example, children draw around shapes and write their names.

Children enjoy listening to stories, rhymes and songs.Children benefit from many experiences that broaden their experiences beyond their community. For example, they have learned about various reptiles, visited a local care home and prepared food hampers for people less fortunate in their communities.

Children benefit from nutritious meals and guidance from staff on healthy eating. They have a wide range of opportunities to investigate and be active outdoors. For example, staff created a 'minibeast hotel' for children to study insects' habitats.

Additionally, they have created a visual representation of road traffic arrangements, which helps children to learn when they might be at risk.Staff create a nurturing and inclusive environment for all children. Children who speak English as an additional language have good support and make good progress in their learning.

Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents feel informed about their children's learning and development in the nursery. They exchange information about their children's interests and important family events with their key persons.

This helps staff to plan meaningful and stimulating activities for children and tailor teaching to their individual needs.Staff act as good role models to children. Children display good manners and behave respectfully towards visitors and their friends.

For example, children offer to share resources with their friends and ask about their well-being if they see that they are feeling sad.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff have a robust knowledge of safeguarding and child protection arrangements.

Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of the referral procedures and different types of abuse. They attend regular training that extends their knowledge of issues such as female genital mutilation, county lines and the 'Prevent' duty. The manager successfully monitors staff's knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding policy and provides them with regular updates of local safeguarding procedures.

The manager demonstrates her knowledge and understanding of safer recruitment procedures in the early years sector. This includes the background checks that must be carried out to ensure that staff are suitable to work in the nursery.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend the use of open-ended questions to give children more opportunities to think critically and extend their learning by sharing their own ideas review the current process of identifying significant or emerging concerns in children's development and seek prompt involvement from the appropriate professionals to help improve the outcomes for children.