Culverdene Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show strong attachments to the attentive staff who care for them.

Babies toddle toward staff, who embrace them with open arms, and sit on their knees to enjoy a cuddle. Staff are wonderful role models. They bend down to children's level and offer gentle reminders about the nursery rules.

They talk to children about managing their own feelings and behaviours. Children form kind friendships with one another and seek out others to share their experiences. This demonstrates children's good social skills.

Children have high levels of confidence and self-esteem. They are very independent and show a can-do a...ttitude. Children demonstrate that they prefer to try things for themselves and will ask for help if needed.

They spend time making marks with toy vehicles. For instance, children push toy vehicles through ingredients, such as oats, and look at the marks they make. Babies use toy animals to stomp in paint and make marks on paper.

This helps to develop children's early mark-making skills. Children count out ingredients they need to make their own dough. They recognise which ingredient is missing.

Children show that they are able to recall their previous learning. Staff encourage children to count, weigh and estimate as they are mixing the ingredients. This helps to develop children's mathematical awareness.

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

Managers and staff have worked hard since the last inspection and have made some exciting improvements to the setting. They have implemented a curriculum that helps to develop the foundations of children's learning. For instance, there is a clear focus on promoting children's communication and skills.

Managers and staff have created calming and inviting story areas to help support children's listening and attention skills. Staff use interesting props and resources for children to remain fully engaged in their learning. They use signs and actions to help children who are non-verbal or with English as an additional language to understand what is happening next in the nursery routine.

Parents speak very highly of the setting and of the managers and staff. They state that they feel welcome and it is a home-from-home environment. Parents comment that they feel that managers and staff know their children very well and there is an individualised and personal approach to meeting their children's needs.

Parents are given regular detailed information about their children's learning and development. This includes daily feedback, regular newsletters and through an online platform. This helps to provide a continued approach to children's learning.

Managers and staff have recently introduced a new lunchtime arrangement for children and help to promote healthy lifestyles. Children follow good hygiene practices and sit together at the tables in the dining area. This is a social experience for all children as staff encourage conversation.

They offer praise for children as they learn to serve themselves. Children use small jugs to pour cups of milk or water. However, as this is a new part of the daily routine, children are not yet familiar with the transition arrangements from outdoor play to lunch time.

Staff are not fully organised to make sure children are not left waiting too long and some children become distracted from their learning.Staff comment that they feel well supported in their role. Managers conduct regular supervision sessions and staff receive training to help develop their skills and knowledge.

For instance, staff working with babies have received specific training to be able to work with them.Children show determination when tackling new challenges and tasks they set themselves through play. For instance, they proudly show off towers they have built using plastic shapes in the garden.

However, on occasions, staff ask children lots of questions in quick succession. Children do not have a chance to respond to help develop their thinking skills and help to extend their learning further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures. They are clear of the process to follow in the event of a concern about the welfare of a child. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and are aware of the possible indicators of abuse.

They are vigilant and alert to signs of domestic violence, as well as signs that families exposed to radicalised views and extreme behaviours. There is a clear visitor's policy in place and the setting is safe and secure. This means that no unauthorised persons can enter the premises.

The safeguarding policy includes the safe use of mobile phones and cameras at the setting. Managers understand their responsibility to report any allegations against staff and follow good recruitment procedures to ensure those working with children are suitable to do so.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nembed the transition arrangements for children and organise this time more effectively so that children are not left waiting too long provide children with more time to answer questions to help to build on their thinking skills and help to extend their learning further.