Buckingham Primary Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and safe in nursery. They are keen and enthusiastic learners. For example, they excitedly told the inspector about their floating and sinking experiment.

Children communicate their thoughts and ideas confidently, explaining that a feather floated on the water's surface but the key sank. Children listen and respond to others well. Children benefit from positive attachments with staff in the nursery.

Managers implement strong settling-in procedures. These help children become familiar with their key person and new environment. Staff mirror these procedures when children transfer from room to room withi...n the nursery.

This helps children to adapt to change well and develop secure bonds. Staff share high expectations for children's learning and development. Children benefit from a range of exciting opportunities which focus on developing their communication and language skills.

For example, children enjoy coming back to nursery dressed in their pyjamas to enjoy bedtime stories. They snuggle together and listen to stories read to them by a visiting author. This helps to develop children's love of books.

Children are very well behaved in nursery. They say that they like to come to nursery to play with their friends. Staff provide plenty of interesting learning experiences for children.

However, they have not fully considered how to organise the outdoor environment to promote younger children's learning and development more effectively.

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

The entire staff team shares a strong understanding of the curriculum focus for children. Managers fully involve staff in evaluating the provision and children's progress.

This helps them to have a secure understanding of the need to focus on developing children's communication and language skills.Managers supervise the performance of their team well. For instance, they ensure that professional development opportunities and individual staff targets underpin the drive to improve children's communication and language skills.

This is helping children to make good progress from their starting points.Managers have a positive approach to promoting work-life balance. For example, staff have time within the working day to ensure that their administrative duties are complete.

They are encouraged to develop their own knowledge and skills through additional training. Staff report that they feel well supported in their roles and their well-being is good.Staff enhance the curriculum with a wide range of learning opportunities.

This helps to make learning fun for children. For example, children find out about people in their community. They learn about the role of firefighters and police officers when they come to visit the nursery.

Older children enjoy playing parachute games and making dens in the forest school environment. Although staff use these opportunities well, they do not fully consider how to organise the immediate outdoor environment to promote more positive learning experiences for younger children.Staff are positive role models for children.

Staff help children learn how to demonstrate their respect for others, for instance by saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff provide plenty of positive praise and encouragement to children, for example by giving them stickers to recognise their good behaviour and recognising when they try new foods at mealtimes.Staff develop strong partnerships with parents from the outset.

This is demonstrated by their effective communications with them. Staff seek information about children's routines and development before they start at nursery. They maintain close communications with parents, sharing progress information and providing advice and guidance to support children's learning at home.

Parents enjoy visiting the nursery for regular stay-and-play sessions where they have the opportunity to see what their children are learning. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about their children's experience at nursery. Staff provide healthy food and drinks for children.

However, on occasion, they do not work as effectively as possible with parents to promote the importance of a healthy diet.Managers develop strong partnerships with a range of professionals. This is demonstrated when they seek advice from speech and language therapists to support children's language needs.

Staff act on advice and support promptly. For example, they learn and use sign language effectively. Staff establish strong working relationships with staff at other local early years settings.

They use these networking opportunities to share good practice well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place to protect children's welfare.

For example, they ensure that appropriately trained staff are always available to respond to concerns regarding children's welfare. Staff have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of different types of abuse. They understand the need to refer any concerns that they may have in order to protect children from harm.

Staff have a secure understanding of whistleblowing procedures. They know what to do should they have any concerns about staff practice.

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 recognise the potential to engage younger children's interest and extend their learning outdoors communicate consistent messages about the importance of a healthy diet and healthy eating choices.

Also at this postcode