Canal House Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and safe at this nursery. During the COVID-19 closure, staff made weekly video calls with the children to keep in touch and ease transition on their return.

As a result, babies and young children leave their parents easily on arrival. Children are greeted by enthusiastic staff with whom they have positive relationships. The nursery have created a rabbit area for children to feed the pets as they arrive with their parents.

This works beautifully for those children who need distraction as they arrive.Staff have high expectations for all children. This contributes towards children's high levels of confi...dence and good behaviour.

Children adopt a can-do attitude to their learning. For example, they are keen to explore and investigate in forest school. Babies have room indoors and outdoors in the 'baby cottage' which provides physical challenge for them.

Children benefit from a broad range of interesting natural resources. Overall, staff identify that they want their children to learn from natural resources and open-ended play.Children receive consistently good interactions from staff, to support them in their play and learning.

Pre-school children join in discussions and conversations well with staff. They confidently talk about what school they will be moving on to. There is an air of calm in the nursery.

The children are engaged at all times and make the most of the vast amount of space available to them.

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

Staff members are well versed in meeting the requirements of children. They are sensitive to the needs of babies in terms of care.

For example, babies may initially follow their home patterns for feeding and sleeping. When babies are trying to go to sleep, staff gently cuddle them, making them feel safe and comfortable.Children show lovely independence.

Pre-schoolers serve their own meals and drinks. Children make choices and decisions about their play on their own. For example, toddlers and pre-schoolers enjoy unrestricted access to the outdoor areas.

Children are able to change their shoes and put on outdoor clothing due to the practise that staff have given them.Managers have a secure understanding of the curriculum's intent. Staff provide fascinating learning opportunities for children.

They ensure that all children participate in activities that assist them in managing appropriate risks and problem-solving. The management team is particularly reflective. For example, they think of ways to strengthen community links and aid children's transition to local schools.

The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator has a good understanding of children who may need extra help and support. She collaborates effectively with staff, parents, and outside agencies to provide a uniformed approach. Staff members display a thorough awareness of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as how to support them.

This aids the development and progress of all children.Overall, staff understand how to support their key children's learning to meet their needs. However, at times, some staff are not always clear about what they intend children to learn.

This means children's learning is not consistently extended as well as it could be.Staff feel supported by the management team at the nursery. They have regular meetings with their supervisors.

This allows managers to assess the overall well-being of staff along with their daily work. Staff have access to opportunities for ongoing professional development, such as obtaining accreditation. However, current monitoring procedures need to be built upon, in order to rigorously check that staff knowledge is secure and embedded in their everyday practice.

New children are given a flexible settling-in procedure by the staff. This helps parents and children acquire confidence during a period of transition.The outdoor area is the showpiece of the nursery.

Pre-schoolers display their ability to collaborate with one another. They make obstacles to walk across and balance upon out of tyres and lengths of wood. This allows children to safely use the structure while also extending their physical abilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The safeguarding arrangements are effective. Staff, even those who are new to the setting, are aware of and understand their obligations to protect children.

They know how to recognise and respond to potential symptoms that can cause them to worry about children or other employees. The management team undertakes strict hiring procedures to ensure that employees are qualified to work with children. Staff follow protocol that ensure the safety of the children.

For example, they regularly check on children as they sleep. The nursery is safe and secure, thanks to effective risk assessments that are understood by all practitioners and swift action taking by managers if safety needs reviewing.

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 always be clear about what they want children to learn in order that children are consistently challenged in thier learning build upon the arrangements for the monitoring and support of staff so that any gaps in staff knowledge are quickly focused upon in order to raise the quality of practice to the highest level.