Cuddles Day Nursery Canford Heath

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children of all ages benefit from a calm, welcoming and very nurturing environment.

Staff in the playrooms know the children very well. They support their emotional well-being and help parents feel secure when they leave their children in their care. Children form warm and trusting relationships with staff, who support their progression through the nursery to help them feel safe and secure.

Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve and help them to develop good independence. Toddlers, for example, learn how to put on their own coats, and older children learn to chop their own food at mealtimes.All staff... plan and deliver a broad curriculum designed to build on children's learning, as they move through the baby and toddler rooms in preparation for the pre-school.

Staff organise additional activities to enhance children's experiences, such as walks to the woods for pre-school children to expand their understanding of the world. Children confidently make their own choices from an early age to lead their play and exploration. They benefit from a focus on outdoor learning that enables more active children to engage well for long periods.

Staff respond well to children's ideas and interests. For example, when children pretend to be pirates, they help them to make maps to hunt for hidden treasure. This positive interaction helps to keep children engaged and motivated to learn more.

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

Staff monitor and assess children's learning accurately from the start and in close partnerships with parents. This helps to ensure they are clear what they intend each child to learn next. Staff use good teaching skills to build on what children already know and can do.

For example, they challenge older children to learn more complex shapes and to solve problems, such as how to make weights balance to develop their mathematical skills.Children learn positive values and good social skills. They listen well to staff, learn to share, take turns and help others.

However, on occasion some staff do not help older children to learn what is expected of them when they run indoors or understand why this is not appropriate.Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They encourage older children to listen, think, join in discussions and help them to learn new words regularly.

Staff caring for babies and toddlers narrate what the children are doing and model language and vocabulary well. However, not all staff help children to use their home language in the setting to fully support their well-being and language development.Children make very good progress in their physical development and enjoy play time in the many outdoor play areas.

From an early age, staff focus on helping children to develop their core strength in readiness for walking and climbing.Babies join in action songs, and older children learn to overcome physical challenges to learn new skills and build their self-confidence.Staff provide many activities to encourage children's literacy.

Children of all ages benefit from 'finger-gym' activities to develop their hand muscles and coordination, and enjoy drawing and writing indoors and in the gardens. Staff encourage parents to use the book-borrowing scheme to enjoy more stories with children at home.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received high quality support.

Staff ensure they understand the children's complex needs and work closely with parents and other professionals when they identify a child might be at risk of falling behind.All staff feel extremely well supported and valued by leaders who nurture their well-being. As a result, staff remain loyal to the setting and many are long-standing staff members.

Staff benefit from targeted training to help them fulfil their roles. This includes team leader training to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to lead a staff team, and focused training for staff caring for babies.The strong and efficient management team works closely with staff to ensure they have a clear vision of what they intend children to learn and how they will support this.

This includes how they use any additional funding for children to have the most impact on their learning. The management team involves staff in developing and making improvements to the quality of provision throughout the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff all have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities and keep their knowledge up to date. They understand the risks to children and the correct procedures to follow in the event of any concerns about a child's welfare. The management team follows robust vetting procedures, a comprehensive induction package tailored to staff roles and supervision sessions.

This helps to ensure staff are, and remain suitable and skilled. Staff maintain safe and secure environments for children in the nursery and on outings.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help older children to learn what is expected of them more consistently, such as when they run indoors support all children who learn English as an additional language to use their home language in the setting.

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