Chesham Bois at Ashbourne Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy and show that they feel settled in this setting.

They are welcomed by the friendly staff, who know them well. Children form strong relationships with staff and feel able to ask for help when needed. They are independent learners and quickly settle into their chosen activities, chatting to their friends as they play.

Older children choose to play with leaves and twigs that were collected on a recent nature walk in the surrounding area. These are used in their play and to create pictures, which they proudly show staff and each other. Staff have high expectations for children.

They use infor...mation gathered from parents, as well as observations and assessments of children, to inform planning. Staff ensure that there are many opportunities for children to make choices about their play. Children stay at activities for extended periods of time.

Children engage well with each other and with staff. They use their imaginations in play. For example, children use different-shaped large wooden blocks to make a bike and then quickly decide to turn this into a bed, adding an extra bed for others to use.

Staff talk to the children about what they are doing and give them ample time to think about their answers and respond. Staff provide activities that successfully promote children's physical development and coordination. For example, older children confidently build ramps for cars and throw balls at targets.

Children use paintbrushes and water to make marks on the garden fence, and young children skilfully stick small pieces of paper to make a flower. Staff understand that activities of this kind support children to develop their hand strength and skills that they need for learning to write.

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

Following a period of change, the management team has an ambitious vision for the nursery and is passionate about improving the outcomes for children.

The newly appointed manager regularly evaluates the quality of the provision. Staff are provided with good professional development opportunities, such as training and supervision.Children are beginning to show an awareness of their emotions.

Overall, staff have effective methods for supporting children who are upset to regulate their emotions and express their needs. However, there are some inconsistencies in how effectively these methods are used for older children. At times, staff do not support older children to consider how their actions affect others.

This results in some minor conflicts. In other respects, staff support children's social skills well. Children build strong friendships.

They play together and show affection and care towards each other. For example, during water play, one child ran out of water, staff supported children to think of a solution and two other children happily filled his tub with water from their jugs. On another occasion, when it started to rain, children helped each other to put their hoods up.

Staff support children's independence well. Children learn to keep their environment clear and tidy. They show that they know the routine well.

At snack time, the youngest of children automatically know to sit down at the table. They learn how to look after themselves by clearing their spaces after lunch and putting on their shoes and coats. If they request help, staff support the children to persevere.

Children's speech and language are supported well. Staff recognise children's individual communication needs and, where appropriate, use simple sign language to help individual children to communicate. Staff introduce interesting new words that children confidently use in their play.

For example, children excitedly show the herbs they have picked in the garden. They repeat the names that staff have told them, such as 'mint' and 'rosemary'. Staff then encourage children to think about how the herbs can be added to their play.

Staff help children to develop a love of books. From an early age, children explore books on their own or with staff. They sit and listen to stories that staff read and show delight as they look at the pictures.

Staff provide activities to support children's physical skills well. Younger children have space to explore and discover new ways of moving. Older children benefit from regular outings to large open areas, where they discover and learn about the world around them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The management and staff understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They complete regular training.

Staff are updated at meetings about safeguarding issues in the local area that may affect children and families. Staff are confident in the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child or adult. They are aware of who they should go to and how to escalate concerns outside the setting.

Staff are deployed effectively to meet ratio requirements and supervise children well. The management team follow robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the support for children to regulate their emotions and to understand the behaviour that is expected of them.