Cavendish Lodge Nursery School, Somers House

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have strong bonds with staff and are happy and confident in this warm and nurturing nursery.

They settle quickly and eagerly engage in activities with their friends and staff. Babies benefit from a calm and relaxing space and clearly love to explore. They build on their core strength as they pull themselves up on furniture and enjoy making marks, such as with crayons and as part of sensory play.

Older children learn to manage their self-care needs on their own. For instance, they use the toilet themselves and manage their personal care needs independently. Children help with small tasks, such as setting up the... table for lunch, which helps them to gain a sense of responsibility.

Staff praise their achievements which boosts their self-esteem highly effectively. Children have a growing understanding of the world. For example, they delight in feeding the rabbits and plant and grow herbs and vegetables in the garden.

Staff provide opportunities for children to develop social skills and form positive relationships with others. Older children negotiate with their peers and work well as a team to build their own house in the garden. They share their cultural backgrounds and pretend to make dishes from their home countries.

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

Staff observe and assess children's progress. They plan a curriculum to help build on what they already know and can do. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff work closely with parents to make referrals. They seek support from other professionals for children with gaps in their development.Children in the baby rooms enjoy listening to stories and join in with nursery rhymes with enthusiasm.

They delight in climbing on soft play equipment and build on the muscles in their hands, wrists and fingers as they bath their babies as part of water play. Children work out how to press buttons on mechanical toys. They watch the flashing lights and listen to the different sounds they make.

However, on occasion, staff caring for babies do not grasp spontaneous opportunities to extend children's developing speech and vocabulary as they engage in their play.Staff talk to parents each day to keep them up to date about their children's progress. Parents are also updated through secure digital media.

Staff provide parents with resources, guidance and support to extend their children's learning at home. Parents comment that communication is highly effective and that the feedback staff provide is personal to their own child.Staff support children's mathematical development highly effectively.

For instance, toddlers place their feet in paint and count their footprints as they stomp around the room. Older children in the pre-school rooms hunt for shapes in the sand and name them confidently. They tip and pour materials into different resources and use language, such as 'full' and 'empty'.

Staff support children to develop good health and well-being. Children enjoy daily exercise and enjoy well-balanced, home-cooked snacks and meals. Staff talk to children about the benefits of eating healthy food and support them in brushing their teeth.

The dedicated manager shows a positive commitment to their professional development of their staff team. They place a high priority on the well-being of staff and this plays an integral part in the ongoing development of the provision. All staff comment that they feel valued and thoroughly enjoy working at the nursery.

Staff act as positive role models for children. Children behave well and respect the ideas of their friends. They demonstrate good manners and say please and thank you as they share their toys willingly.

Staff listen when children talk and value what they say. Older children confidently hold conversations with staff and describe past events. Staff use effective questioning when communicating with children and this helps to extend conversations, However, occasionally, in their enthusiasm, they do not give children time to respond to questions to help build on children's thinking skills even further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager ensures staff keep their safeguarding training up to date. Staff recognise signs and symptoms that would cause them to be concerned for a child's welfare.

They know how to identify children that may be exposed to extreme views. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have about any children or the adults they encounter. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff use risk assessments to help minimise potential hazards and maintain a safe environment. They are vigilant about safety and maintain correct ratios to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to build on staff understanding and practice of how to help challenge children's developing speech and vocabulary give children enough time to process their thoughts and when responding to questions to extend their learning even further.

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