Cliffe House Day Nurseries Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are greeted warmly by staff when they arrive at the nursery.

They appear eager to go and meet their friends. The nursery environment, both indoors and outdoors, is stimulating and engaging. As a result, children quickly start to explore and choose interesting things to do.

Younger children are introduced to new vocabulary as they work with play dough. They snuggle up in reading dens as staff share familiar stories with them. Older children find out more about autumn as they investigate the natural resources they have collected.

Outside, they giggle with delight as they hide 'pumpkins' for their friend...s to find. This means that children become confident and eager learners.Children make good progress from their starting points.

Activities are matched effectively to individual children's needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery makes effective use of additional funding to provide targeted support to children. Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from resources to promote their understanding of nursery routines.

When children start attending they receive plenty of support to settle in. This helps to build their confidence. Children behave very well.

They are supported to understand the nursery's 'golden rules'. Staff treat children with kindness and respect. Children beam with pride when they are praised for counting the spots on their dominoes correctly.

They are thanked for helping to clear up after lunch. This promotes children's self-esteem.

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

Leaders and managers have worked hard since their last inspection to develop a clear vision for the educational programme.

They have involved staff in identifying what they want children to learn in each of the four nursery rooms. As a result, learning is sequenced effectively. This also prepares children for their move to the next room in the nursery or to school.

Staff use their detailed knowledge of the children to plan meaningful learning opportunities. They find out about children's interests, often bringing these into the planned activities. For example, children who enjoy making marks start to explore shapes as they practise drawing around them.

Children learn about their own self-care by bathing and dressing baby dolls. Staff support children's learning by asking questions as they play. However, often the questions do not provide enough opportunities for children to think for themselves or to solve problems.

Mealtimes are used very effectively to support children's growing independence. The youngest children are helped to use a spoon to feed themselves. As children get older, knives and forks are introduced and children pour their own water.

The oldest children serve their own food and help to clear the table. Staff and children sit around the table together, making mealtimes very sociable.There is a clear focus throughout the nursery on developing children's language and communication.

This starts in the entrance hall, where an interactive display is set up to encourage parents and children to talk together. Staff understand their role in supporting children's speech. They encourage younger children to vocalise and repeat vocabulary clearly to them.

Older children are encouraged to use longer sentences. Children's speech development is monitored closely. Extra support is provided, should this be needed.

Children benefit from freshly prepared, healthy meals. Special dietary needs are catered for effectively. Staff promote oral hygiene throughout the nursery.

This includes informative displays for parents. Children's good health is further supported by thorough hygiene procedures throughout the nursery, for example, at mealtimes and during nappy changing. Children have regular access to fresh air in the well-resourced, outside play areas.

Parents appreciate the care their children receive. They are pleased with the progress their children have made since starting nursery. Staff share information with parents daily, and offer advice around issues, such as potty training and the use of dummies.

There is a toy lending library and children can also choose books to take home.The well-being of staff is given a high priority in the nursery. Managers are trained as mental health first aiders.

Staff say they feel valued and enjoy working at the nursery. There are regular opportunities for staff to access professional development opportunities. However, staff supervision sessions are not used effectively enough to address issues relating to improving staff's practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers ensure that staff attend regular safeguarding training. This means that staff can confidently describe the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm.

This includes an understanding of areas of concern, such as neglect, county lines and female genital mutilation. All staff are aware of the procedures they must follow, should they have any concerns about a child's safety. Records are maintained effectively.

Children are supervised carefully by appropriately qualified staff. Recruitment processes for new staff are thorough, to ensure 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 staff supervision arrangements to ensure any practice issues are addressed in a timely fashion develop staff's use of questions, to provide children with more opportunities to solve problems and support their thinking skills.