Crossley Mill Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children build wonderfully strong relationships and attachments with their key person and other staff. They behave well and are kind to their friends. Children thrive in this setting and feel safe and secure in the relaxing and welcoming environment that staff create for them.

They follow instructions and are familiar with the daily routines. Children's emotional well-being is given high priority. For example, staff gather a wealth of information from a child's parents so that they can meet their individual needs.

Transitions between rooms are carefully planned to ensure that children are well supported during these ti...mes. Children demonstrate high levels of confidence and self-esteem.The management team and staff have high expectations of what children can achieve.

They meticulously monitor children's progress and ensure that the curriculum takes account of their individual interests and next step learning targets. Perceptive staff interact well with children during their play. They plan a wide range of stimulating and engaging activities which help to keep children motivated and eager to learn.

They work closely with external professionals, so all children receive the support that they need and reach their full potential. All children make good rates of progress and are well prepared for their future learning.

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

Leaders have implemented effective staff supervisions.

They observe staff interactions with children and closely monitor the quality of teaching. They hold regular team meetings with staff to discuss and address key areas to improve. They provide staff with tailored coaching, training and support to help further develop their practice.

Staff also access a wide range of online training courses for their continued professional development.Parents and carers are complimentary of the level of care and service the nursery provides for children. Parents say that they enjoy looking at pictures, observations and assessments using the online learning system.

They are kept well informed about their child's progress and contribute towards their learning. This helps them to promote a consistent approach both in the setting and at home.Children develop a love of reading from a very early stage.

For example, older children listen intently to staff as they read stories. They ask questions and guess what might happen next. Younger children help to recall key events in stories when prompted by picture cards.

Babies and infants show a very keen interest in familiar books. They handle them with care, turn pages and point to pictures.Staff create a language-rich environment which helps to build on children's vocabulary, speech and language skills.

For example, children thoroughly enjoy singing and joining in with action songs and nursery rhymes. Older children learn different letter sounds and sing songs that help them to remember these.Children thoroughly enjoy exploring the natural world around them during outdoor play.

They learn about different seasons, and animals and their habitats. Children collect leaves and compare the different shapes, sizes and colours. Staff follow children's interests and continue their learning indoors.

For example, children make hedgehogs using play dough and spaghetti sticks. Older children confidently count the total number of spikes on their hedgehog. This helps to further develop children's mathematical skills.

Children are enthusiastic and ready to learn. Younger children have the freedom to explore their environment and make independent choices in their play. However, staff working with older children do not consistently give them enough time to complete activities, for example, before they are asked to tidy play equipment away and move on to the next activity.

They do not consistently give children the opportunity to make their own decisions and independent choices during free-flow play. This occasionally limits children's learning.Children's physical health is given high priority.

Staff provide them with healthy, well-balanced and nutritious meals and snacks. Children have access to daily exercise and thoroughly enjoy completing physical activities with support from staff. For example, children confidently follow instructions as they hop, skip, run and jump.

They develop good balance and coordination as they complete the actions faster and slower. Younger children learn how to negotiate space and use climbing equipment with confidence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager has implemented robust vetting and employment arrangements to check the suitability of new and existing staff and board members. All staff and board members complete regular safeguarding training to help keep up to date with current child protection matters. Staff demonstrate that they have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection.

They confidently recognise the signs of abuse and understand how to report concerns about a child's welfare. Staff complete thorough daily checks to ensure all areas of the premises are safe and suitable.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide older children with more opportunities to make their own decisions and independent choices during play nallow older children more time to complete tasks before they are asked to tidy them away and move on to the next activity.