Blue Sky Day Nursery (York)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and well cared for at the setting. Children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported. Leaders, managers and staff share their ambition for children to be self-confident and ready for the next stage of their learning.

Parents and carers share their happiness in how much their child's confidence is growing at nursery. During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents no longer enter the setting when dropping off or picking up their child. However, leaders and managers have provided individual parent's meetings at weekends to share children's learning and development.

Staff use w...hat they know about the child to plan experiences to help develop their confidence and encourage them to try new things. For example, younger children explore the ice and fruit, trying out new flavours and tastes. Staff encourage older children to use their imagination.

They go on a make-believe bus together. Staff introduce new vocabulary to children. They talk about checking the oil and the wing mirrors on the bus before they start their journey.

Staff offer praise and encouragement to children to help them to make the right choices in their play. For example, they praise children when they ask each other to take it in turns to be the bus driver.Staff support children to understand how to keep themselves safe.

They explain to older children why something might hurt them. Children show their understanding by listening to staff and not repeating the action.

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

Leaders and managers have faced staffing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, they have made some changes to the rooms in which children are cared for and mixed age ranges when required. This is not having a negative impact on children's learning and development as staff are meeting children's individual needs. They have carefully risk assessed each room to ensure children are safe.

Leaders and managers have an ambitious programme of performance management for the staff to help them to improve. They work together as a whole staff team, observing each other and giving feedback.Staff have warm and caring relationships with children.

They meet their individual needs well and comfort them when they are upset. Children have strong bonds with staff. Parents share in this; they talk about the staff and comment on how friendly and caring they are.

The setting offers flexible care, meaning some children do not regularly attend. However, younger children still have very strong bonds with staff. This helps them to settle and make the most of their time at nursery.

Staff take time to find out children's individual interests. They use their interests to support them in their learning. For example, when preparing for a child's first day they add their interest to the indoor and outdoor environment to help them settle.

Staff recognise that younger children show interest in singing. They sing their favourite song, 'Heads, shoulders, knees, and toes'. Younger children join in with the actions and show their excitement.

Staff know the children well. They use what they already know about the child to plan for what they need to know next. However, due to the mixed age ranges there are times when staff do not consistently provide learning opportunities to meet the needs of the two-year-olds.

For example, when mixed with the pre-school children, the two-year-olds do not always engage with the activities or resources available. This means children are not making as rapid progress as they could.All children access a range of home cooked meals, cooked on site by the nursery cook.

Fresh ingredients which are carefully selected by leaders, managers, and the cook are used to make the meals. They cater for all dietary requirements and allergies. The cook shares how important it is for them to find recipes which meet the needs of all children to help them to feel included and enjoy the foods they prepare.

Parents and carers share their love of the meals provided by the nursery.Staff describe what they are doing while they play with children. However, there are opportunities where staff could more consistently model words to children to help develop their speech and language.

For example, modelling the word 'book' to younger children as they reach for a book from the shelf. This would help children to communicate more confidently using speech as well as gestures.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, managers, and staff describe the signs and symptoms that might cause them to worry about a child's welfare. They know what to do about their concerns and demonstrate their understanding of the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures. The manager works closely with other agencies to support and safeguard children and their families.

They explain the importance of identifying any concerns so they can get the child support to help them have the best possible outcomes in life. Staff keep up to date with their safeguarding training online and during regular staff meetings.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the curriculum for the two-year-olds, to make sure the planned learning experiences build on what children already know and help them to make the best possible progress nimprove how staff consistently model words and language to children, giving them time to hear and repeat words to help them communicate more effectively.