Chapter One Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children clearly enjoy the time they spend at Chapter One Childcare. Older children have the unique experience of spending all day in the 'Treetops' area. For example, they play, learn, eat and rest in the highly stimulating outdoor environment.

This group of children show very high levels of confidence in assessing risks for themselves. They demonstrate this when they find pieces of decorative glass on the ground and announce to staff, 'This is safe glass'. Competent and well-trained staff help children to develop a strong awareness of safety, such as when children access the fire pit and use the stick swings.

Childre...n demonstrate they feel safe as they confidently explore the areas. The manager supports her staff team generally well to implement a creative, thought-provoking curriculum. She is well supported by the provider who takes an active role in the nursery.

Overall, staff have high expectations and plan activities and experiences with accuracy and precision. Children's interests and next steps in learning are taken into account and help them to make good progress over time. The manager and provider acknowledge there are some weaknesses in teaching that are hindering the nursery's ability to raise the overall quality of practice to an outstanding level.

Nevertheless, children have positive attitudes to their learning and take pride in their achievements.

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

Partnerships with parents are excellent. Staff provide a wealth of high-quality information to help them to support their child's learning at home.

Highly effective systems help to gather parents' views on the nursery and are used to very good effect to implement changes to practice. Parents spoken to during the inspection are extremely complimentary about the nursery. They say that their children are supported superbly, particularly at times when they move rooms and when they need additional emotional support.

Staff support younger children well to develop their communication skills. This is illustrated when children in the Sycamore room are provided with shiny paper to explore. Staff sit alongside children as they scrunch the paper in their hands, asking questions, such as, 'Is it noisy?' Children engage well and eagerly explore this further.

However, some other activities provided for children in this room and also in the Willow room are not always precisely focused on their stage of development. For example, some stories read to children are beyond their level of comprehension and they do not always show high levels of engagement.Very young children in the Acorn room are supported well, overall.

Effective settling-in arrangements help children to develop confidence quickly in staying on their own with their key person. Staff interact generally well and help children to develop strong attachments to them. The manager recognises there are some weaknesses in practice in this room that have not been identified.

She has plans to swiftly address these to improve the overall quality of care and learning provided.Staff place a high priority on supporting children's good health. Practices such as handwashing are given a strong focus.

For instance, older children have a designated station outside to use before they eat outdoors. Younger children clearly know the routine of using the bathroom to wash their hands before they eat in the dining area. The views of parents are used to good effect in planning weekly menus and ensure fresh, healthy food is provided each day.

There is clear progression in children's independence skills throughout the nursery. As they progress through the rooms, opportunities such as independently serving meals and pouring drinks are gradually introduced. Children relish in these activities.

Photographs taken of children at these times show they are proud of their achievements.Children behave extremely well for their age. They respond quickly to staff's instructions for activities, such as tidy-up time.

Staff help children to understand appropriate rules and clear boundaries, especially for those children who learn outdoors.Self-evaluation is an integral part of the nursery and helps to identify many areas for further development. The views of staff and parents help to inform the provider and manager of areas to focus on and has helped the nursery to grow in size and practice over time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff provide a safe, secure environment where children can play and learn safely. Daily risk assessments ensure all areas accessed by children are free from hazards and are managed very well.

Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. They confidently describe signs or symptoms that may indicate concerns about a child's welfare. Staff know the procedures to follow if an allegation is made against them or a fellow member of staff.

Regular training helps staff to maintain a good level of knowledge about safeguarding. Effective policies underpin their good skills.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: swiftly identify and address any weaknesses and improve the overall quality of practice, particularly for the youngest children in the Acorn room support staff to provide even more activities in the Sycamore and Willow room that are finely tuned to children's age and stage of development.