Child First Banbury Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children of all ages show they thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery. There is a happy and positive atmosphere throughout the setting.

Babies and children show they feel safe with the kind and attentive staff. Babies reach out for cuddles when they wake from their sleep and are reassured by staff's smiles and soothing words. Older children show their trust in staff by inviting them into their play.

Staff understand the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on many children, who have missed out on all sorts of opportunities and experiences. They have worked hard to fill those gaps and ensure children are exposed to a fascin...ating learning environment. Staff have also focused on helping children regulate their emotions.

As a result of this effective support, behaviour across the nursery is good.Children benefit from a curriculum that is focused, planned and sequenced very well. This means that, over time, children have plenty of meaningful opportunities to develop a lasting understanding of what they are being taught.

For example, staff carefully plan age-appropriate opportunities for children to explore different books and learn about how stories are structured. As a result, by the time children are leaving for school, they are able to work with staff to create their own story content. Children remember and use well-known phrases to start their stories, they talk about the 'characters' they are going to introduce and how the story might end.

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

There is a strong and effective focus on supporting children's language skills across the nursery. Staff think carefully about the language they want to introduce to children. When talking with younger children, they focus on the words that describe what children are doing and can see.

This helps children make the links they need to learn what words mean. Staff engage in thoughtful and enjoyable conversations with older children. This good practice helps build children's vocabulary and ability to express their needs and opinions.

The manager effectively monitors the impact the curriculum is having on children's learning. She works well with her team to plan how to fill any emerging gaps. For example, a renewed focus on mathematics across the nursery has resulted in staff being much more confident to include this aspect of teaching in children's play.

Children show a lot of confidence to count and solve simple mathematical problems.Staff break down learning into manageable steps. For example, they know that for children to be able to express their own creative ideas they need to be taught how to use the tools they will need.

This results in young children using paints and brushes with care and control as they create their own artwork.Children are developing a very positive attitude towards their learning. For example, very young children gather together eagerly for 'singing time'.

They recognise the names of the songs and join in with actions enthusiastically.Staff are diligent about meeting children's care needs. They understand that for children to feel safe and secure they need to see familiar faces and be treated with kindness and respect.

Staff use nappy changing and feeding times to both ensure children's good health and to build warm bonds with babies and very young children. Older children receive the encouragement and gentle reminders they need to become increasingly independent in doing more things for themselves.Staff ensure children have plenty of opportunities to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Staff find out about children's cultural backgrounds and represent these in resources and activities. They incorporate songs and rhymes that represent the different languages children speak at home. This helps all children build a positive view of the diverse world in which they live.

Parents find staff approachable and supportive. They feel well-informed about their children's routines and care at nursery. However, some parents feel less well-informed about their children's progress.

The manager recognises this is an area to improve further and has plans in place to do so.The recently appointed manager has used her time effectively to evaluate the provision and make improvements. She has worked with her team to enhance the learning environment and identify further areas to improve.

Now she has got to know the staff well, she plans to develop closer systems for monitoring and supporting them to build further on the good quality teaching they already deliver.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff show a secure understanding of the signs of potential abuse or neglect.

They are confident about how to share any concerns, and the importance of doing so promptly, to keep children safe. This includes an understanding of how to share concerns with professionals beyond the nursery, should the need arise. Staff supervise children closely and take effective steps to ensure the environment is safe and suitable for the care of children.

The manager and other leaders follow robust recruitment procedures. They carry out thorough checks to ensure the suitability of those employed 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: share information more consistently with parents about children's learning and development, to enable parents to further support their children's progress at home nembed systems for monitoring staff practice so that feedback and support for staff can focus even more precisely on developing their existing good teaching skills further still.