Dracup Lodge Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settle quickly into this welcoming setting. The nurturing staff build positive relationships with children and their families from the start. They gather information from parents about what their children know and can already do.

Staff use this information to tailor activities to children's individual needs and interests. Children are continuously engaged in their play. Staff's enthusiasm creates a positive and exciting atmosphere within the setting at all times.

Children are enthralled during story time. They use puppets and props that help them act out the story as it unfolds. They listen with ...eagerness to the story before guessing which house the wolf is going to blow down.

This demonstrates good listening and attention skills. Children benefit from plentiful exercise and regular outings. Staff attentively encourage children's thinking skills.

For example, children discover rubbish during a nature walk. Staff talk to children about the importance of recycling and caring for the environment. This helps children to develop an understanding of the wider world.

Children behave well. Staff demonstrate high expectations for children at all times. They model good manners and teach children to share and take turns.

This helps to promote children's social skills.

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

The ambitious manager and staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of how children learn. They complete detailed observations and assessments.

This helps them to accurately plan for what children need to learn next. The manager reviews this information. This helps her to identify and quickly address any emerging gaps in children's learning.

Children have good opportunities to develop their independence during play. They make choices from a wide range of resources available. However, staff do not help children to develop high levels of self-care skills.

For instance, during mealtimes, staff cut up children's food. In addition, children are not provided with opportunities to pour their own drinks or participate in tasks appropriate to their stage of development.Children have access to a range of activities that help to promote their physical development.

For instance, toddlers and young children benefit from large indoor climbing apparatus. They learn to climb, crawl and walk up large ramps and down slides. Older children ride around the large outdoor area on bicycles and scooters.

In addition, they join in with dancing games and move their bodies in time to the music.Partnership working with parents is a key strength of this setting. Parents speak highly of the dedicated manager and staff.

They are involved in all aspects of their children's care and learning at the setting and are invited to share children's achievements at home. Staff work in collaboration with external professionals, including schools and other early years providers who are involved with children's care. This helps to provide a seamless approach to children's learning.

Children engage fully in their play. They use various resources, including rubber cupcake cases and cake stands, during dough activities. Children pretend to add candles to their make-believe cakes using sticks, before offering these to their friends.

This demonstrates children's good imagination.Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop their literacy skills. For instance, children use different-sized brushes during sand play.

Staff comment on the different marks they can see. Older children begin to write their names and join in with writing labels.The knowledgeable manager works alongside her newly appointed staff team.

The manager recognises there are ways to embed supervision sessions into practice, particularly to help identify areas of improvement and offer further challenge to older children.Children immerse themselves in creative activities, including using glitter, glue and paint when creating their pictures. Older children take on different roles during their play.

They tell others that they are 'teachers' and ask other children how they are feeling today. Children are confident and communicate well with one another.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of safeguarding issues. They are aware of the possible indicators of abuse and the procedure to follow in the event of a concern about the welfare of a child. Staff are aware of wider safeguarding issues and how to promote children's awareness of keeping themselves safe.

For example, staff complete thorough risk assessments and encourage children to identify and think of ways to address hazards in their environment. Staff are vigilant and supervise children well.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend opportunities for children to develop their independence and self-care skills, particularly around mealtimes build on supervision sessions for staff to help refine teaching skills and offer further challenge to children's play.

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