Childsplay Claremont Nursery Co-op

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Staff effortlessly follow children's emerging interests and help them to develop a very strong sense of belonging and an excellent emotional stability.

Children are immediately soothed and given reassurance by staff if they are upset. Children persevere and show great determination to succeed at tasks. Staff pose lots of 'I wonder' questions to children that help them to think and work things out for themselves.

For example, pre-school children try to work out how to cut a piece of clay with a wire cutter. Their persistence is rewarded when they manage to cut a piece off. Children behave exceptionally well and d...evelop firm friendships with each other.

They are very caring with each other. For example, two-year-olds offer a favourite toy to a child when they fall over. Older children remind each other when they should wipe their own noses.

Staff encourage parents to develop caring and sharing boxes for their child when they first start at the nursery. This gives children the opportunity to bring favourite things from home. They share them when sitting in a group.

Children are very respectful when handling the boxes and do so with great care as they discuss what is in them. This helps children to settle exceptionally well when they first start.

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

The highly-qualified and experienced management and staff team successfully fulfils the highest of expectations for all children.

They create a vibrant, inspiring environment, indoors and outdoors. They expertly plan activities based on children's interests that ignite their curiosity and thirst for learning. For example, children show an interest in making dens in the garden.

When they return indoors they are highly enthusiastic about building one in their room. Staff discuss with children how they can make the den and follow their ideas to suspend large pieces of material from the walls and ceiling. Children have a wonderful time playing in the den as they bring in resources from their room.

Team morale is high. Managers place exceptional attention on supporting staff's emotional well-being, including managing their workload. For example, staff are given non-contact time to update children's learning records.

Staff feel highly appreciated and valued. They benefit from constructive feedback on their teaching and access ongoing professional development that effectively supports their teaching to the highest level.Staff have an excellent knowledge of the curriculum.

They know children extremely well. Staff make regular assessments of what children know and can do. They make highly effective use of these to plan meticulously for children's individual needs and interests.

Children develop exceptional language and communication skills that give a strong foundation for future learning. Babies' gestures and babbling are immediately responded to by staff who talk to babies and repeat emerging words and sentences as children get older. Children speak with increasing confidence.

They question visitors and want to know their names. They are excited to share that they are waiting for the poetry lady and they will look after their friends who have not seen her before.There are wonderful opportunities for children to learn outdoors and to be inspired by nature and the wider world around them.

For instance, from the age of three they attend the forest school. Here they learn how to explore and play safely in the woods and they eventually learn how to stay safe around a lit fire as they cook food. These experiences also inspire children's learning.

For example, they find a piece of wood that they decide looks like a dragon's head. Eventually, they build a whole dragon over many visits. This leads to many discussions about dragons and staff support children's interest, such as by making clay dragons.

Highly effective partnerships with parents involve them in all aspects of nursery life. They can be part of the cooperative committee and have a say in how the nursery is run. Staff keep parents very well informed about their children's experiences and learning.

Assessments of children's progress are shared in individual meetings. These include activity ideas that parents can use to support their children's learning at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are extremely vigilant and ensure that the environment is safe and secure. They have an excellent knowledge of safeguarding procedures. They are highly proactive in protecting children from harm and know exactly what to do should they have concerns about a child's safety.

Staff are clear on what to do if they have a concern about the behaviour of another adult. They keep their knowledge up to date by receiving training in-house from the manager. Effective recruitment and induction procedures ensure staff are suitable for their roles and that they understand their responsibilities.