Chatterbox Children’s Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

All children at the nursery are happy, content and feel secure.

Staff are nurturing and very attentive to children's needs. Children enjoy their time at the setting. They enter a bright, welcoming environment where their artwork is attractively displayed.

Children's behaviour is good. They are curious and eager to learn. Staff continually support children to understand the importance of taking turns and to share toys with their peers.

They build children's self-esteem and confidence, and give lots of praise and encouragement. Children learn about other people's similarities and differences in the wider world. ...They enjoy taking part in litter picking, visits to the shops and supporting the local food bank.

Older children delight in recalling a trip to the theatre next door to see the pantomime.Managers and staff are well qualified and have high expectations for every child. They show a strong commitment to continually developing the nursery.

The curriculum is ambitious and well planned. Staff use their monitoring of children's learning effectively to identify gaps. They seek additional help from other professionals for children when needed.

Personalised learning plans help all children to make good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

Key persons know children well. Staff work with parents to help children settle quickly when they start in the setting.

Children show they feel valued, listened to and have a sense of belonging. Staff use information from their detailed observations and assessments to provide a wide range of experiences that promote children's good development. The activities are enjoyable for children.

For instance, staff working with the toddlers lead whole-group singing and activity sessions. Older children relish making dough. They show good dexterity as they roll the dough and use small tools with confidence.

Children develop good levels of confidence and independence. Older children care for their own personal needs. Toddlers can feed themselves and babies learn how to select their own toys with which to play.

All children, including those in receipt of extra funding, are developing the skills and knowledge for when it is time for them to move on to school.The manager regularly observes staff practice and meets with them to discuss their professional development and personal effectiveness. This has a positive impact on the progress children make and helps staff to contribute to children's continuous improvement.

The manager has recently put different methods of recording children's achievements in place in an effort to reduce the amount of paperwork staff are completing. Staff welcome this and state this has had a positive impact on their well-being.Children have good opportunities to be physically active.

They particularly like the soft-play sessions where they learn to jump, slide and balance without bumping into each other. Children enjoy working as a team to tidy up after activities. They listen carefully to others and follow instructions well.

Staff use mealtimes to encourage children to talk together and develop social skills. For example, children tell staff and each other how eating fresh fruit makes you grow big and strong.Parents are complimentary about the quality of the provision, commenting particularly on the friendliness of staff and the welcome that their children receive.

Staff seek and act on the views of parents and use these to inform self-evaluation, driving improvement and raising outcomes for children. However, they do not always fully inform parents of children's progress and encourage them to share children's achievements from home.Staff support children's language and communication skills well.

They listen to children with genuine interest and ask questions that encourage children to use their thinking skills. However, group activities are not consistently managed effectively enough to fully engage all children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff understand the potential signs of harm and neglect. They are secure in their knowledge of the process for referring their concerns to the appropriate agencies. The manager has robust recruitment procedures in place to help ensure the suitability of adults working with children.

Staff are vigilant to the safety and well-being of children. They assess potential hazards and take effective steps to minimise them. Comprehensive safeguarding and complaints policies are in place and reviewed regularly.

Staff are deployed well to ensure sleeping children are monitored. They receive regular training and keep up to date with policy changes.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the link between home and the nursery further to help provide children with even better consistency in their care and learning experiences review group activities so that all children can fully participate.