Buttercups at Teddington

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The nursery offers a warm and welcoming homely environment for children. They have access to a variety of resources inside and outside. Children develop high levels of independence and are given lots of opportunities to make choices and decisions in their play.

Staff use stories, songs and rhymes well to develop children's communication and language skills effectively. Quiet spaces are provided for children to listen to stories or for specific teaching, such as small-group activities. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure and readily approach staff and invite them into their play.

Staff plan activities ba...sed on the children's interests, such as learning about planets and dinosaurs, and include lots of resources for children to explore and use imaginatively. For example, they use globes and books to understand more about the world. Children are motivated and concentrate on their activities.

They respond to the encouragement from staff and are proud of their achievements. Staff successfully promote children's personal, social and emotional development. They are good role models and teach children about positive behaviour through the nursery rules.

For instance, they talk to children about the importance of taking turns and sharing. Children behave well and are kind and caring in their interactions with each other.

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

The new manager has high expectations for children, including those in receipt of funding.

She supports staff well and ensures that their workloads are manageable. Staff report that they enjoy their work. They access a good range of training opportunities and the manager supports them to use their knowledge and develop their teaching skills.

Children enjoy a range of different activities that support their learning across all areas. For example, they have fun participating in role play, dressing up and exploring fresh vegetables in the role-play kitchen. This supports children's creativity and imagination.

Children have opportunities to recognise and count numbers in the different areas of the nursery.Overall, the curriculum is well planned and helps children to develop skills and make good progress. However, there are times when activities are not tailored to individual children's learning needs precisely enough to achieve the best outcomes.

Parents are very positive about the care and learning their children receive. The settling-in process, transitions between rooms, and the transition on to school are effectively planned. Parents value the feedback about how their children are achieving and acknowledge the help, support and strategies for extending learning at home.

Staff support the children well during their play and encourage their language development effectively. For example, they model language well as they join in children's play in the role-play kitchen. Older children develop their knowledge of phonics as they explore sounds and letters.

Staff use sign language to support early language development of younger children and those who speak English as an additional language.Babies and young children have many opportunities to investigate resources using all their senses. For example, they play with sand, water, paint and flour and enjoy exploring the different textures.

Staff provide engaging opportunities throughout the nursery for children to practise mark making. Older children enjoy making patterns and prints in a variety of ways, such as drawing on the whiteboard, painting and mark making in foam.Staff promote positive behaviour and provide distractions and alternative options if children struggle with rules and routines.

Children are aware of the expectations for their behaviour and need only the gentlest reminder to share or take turns.Staff work closely with parents to support children's care and good health, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children have plenty of time to play outdoors and develop their physical skills.

The manager has introduced robust systems to ensure children's individual dietary and allergy needs are adhered to.Children's good health is supported well. The setting employs a cook to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals each day.

Children tuck in with delight while learning good table manners. They learn about healthy foods and are encouraged to make healthy food choices.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Rigorous policies and procedures are in place and implemented effectively. There is a range of information displayed around the nursery for staff and parents to refer to if they have any concerns regarding safeguarding. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the known indicators of abuse, including wider child protection issues.

Staff are confident with the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child. They are fully aware of the whistle-blowing procedure and know what to do if they are worried 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: strengthen the already good teaching and enhance the planning for children's next steps in learning to ensure they are more finely tuned to suit the individual needs of each child.