Clip Clop Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy and form secure bonds with staff. They are confident to seek reassurance should they feel upset.

However, children's learning experiences are variable. Pre-school children do not receive a good quality of education. Staff in the pre-school do not always adapt teaching successfully to engage all children.

At times, children become restless and do not listen well in group activities, including when stories are read to them. Staff sometimes overlook opportunities to extend children's knowledge and build on what they already know and can do, particularly for the most able children. Pre-school children are g...aining some skills to support the move to school.

They receive encouragement to do things for themselves and gain independence in toileting, putting on coats and shoes and pouring drinks.Younger children benefit from nurturing and responsive interactions with kind staff. They receive good opportunities to build their physical strength.

Staff give children encouragement to take their first steps and feed themselves under appropriate supervision, to ensure their safety. Staff ensure that all children have daily access to the outdoors, including outings to local parks, libraries, and a care home. This helps children to develop a sense of community and to learn about other people and how to keep themselves safe when out and about.

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

The provider has established a curriculum that helps children build on what they know and can do over time. However, this is not yet embedded with staff working with older children. Staff interactions with these children are not always inspiring or pitched at what they need to learn next.

Adult-led activities tend to end abruptly, leaving children with no direction in their play or in how learning can be extended. Similarly, when staff are occupied with nursery routines, such as mealtimes, they do not always notice when children are not engaged in purposeful play.There is a clear focus throughout the nursery to support children to behave well, take turns and share with their peers.

However, sometimes, in the pre-school room, the weaker practice results in children becoming disengaged in their learning and less tolerant of others. At times, the environment becomes loud and chaotic. Staff tend to raise their voice to be heard and do not always talk to children about inappropriate behaviours.

Children do not always receive consistent messages to help them learn how to behave well. This does not help to prepare them for what is expected when they move to school.Staff know children well.

They promptly identify when a child may be at risk of falling behind in their development. The special educational needs coordinator is well trained and experienced. She supports staff to meet with parents and other professionals to identify and implement targeted interventions that help individual children make progress in their learning and development.

Staff plan to inspire in children a love of books. They share a different book with children each week, purposely chosen to help build children's vocabulary and understanding. Books chosen reflect children's emerging interests and help to develop their knowledge about other cultures and celebrations, such as the forthcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.

Staff understand that children learn through repetition and encourage children to recall what they know about the story.Children enjoy exploring a range of textures. They use appropriately sized tweezers to pick up dried pasta and rice.

Staff show and explain to children how to use the tweezers. They introduce mathematical language as they compare the size of the pasta to the rice.Staff enjoy working at the nursery and say that their workloads are manageable.

They say that they feel well supported and valued. Staff act as good role models for children. They work well together as a team and show respect towards each other.

Parents are positive about their child's experience at the nursery. They say that staff are friendly and approachable and that they feel well informed about their child's day. Parents state that their child enjoys attending and develops self-confidence and independence in putting on their coats and shoes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date improve staff's knowledge and understanding of how to support pre-school children so that practice is adapted to meet children's individual stage of development and engages them in purposeful activity that motivates and inspires them to learn 01/05/2024 improve staff's understanding and practice of how to support children's behaviour in an appropriate way.

01/05/2024