Fennies Christchurch Road

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress at the setting. Generally, children demonstrate that they are emotionally secure. The curriculum is well planned to provide children with numerous opportunities to develop creativity and learn new skills.

Children are supported to appreciate art when they focus on learning about famous artists. They explore different media to create their own interpretations and work together to produce large scale art pieces.Children are confident communicators.

Toddlers excitedly select their 'chatterbox' to share with their fr...iends and talk about what's inside their box. They proudly talk about things inside their box from home. This builds children's self esteem and supports their sense of belonging.

Staff ensure that all children have ample opportunities to play outdoors and to be physically active. Babies learn to manoeuvre around furniture and negotiate small steps. Older children navigate space as they ride bikes around the play roadway.

Children also benefit from regular trips to the nearby playground where they develop their gross motor skills further through climbing and balancing. Children behave well, as they are familiar with the expectations. Staff support children to manage their feelings and to consider the impact of their behaviour on others.

Older children are able to work together to achieve a shared goal, and younger children learn to take turns.

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

Leaders and managers are enthusiastic and clear about what they want children to learn and why. The ambitious curriculum is well thought out and supports children across all the areas of learning.

Leaders and managers evaluate the quality of education to consider where improvements can be made. Children excitedly explore the newly developed outdoor play area, where they are engrossed in outdoor learning.Leaders and managers recognise the importance of valuing staff's well-being.

They organise team events and celebrate staff's achievements. Staff say they enjoy working at the nursery and feel very supported. Professional development opportunities are regularly encouraged to help staff to develop their knowledge and skills to support better outcomes for children.

Staff are kind and caring. They use what they know about children's interests to build on children's learning and experiences. Staff working with babies offer cuddles and reassurance to build on children's emotional well-being.

However, the key-person arrangements are not always effective in supporting babies personal, social and emotional needs. This means that, sometimes, babies take a while to settle before they have opportunities to play. Additionally, on occasion, staff take babies for nappy changes without explaining what they are going to do, which does not help children to know what is happening in the routines.

Songs, music and stories are an important part of nursery life. Babies sing 'Five Little Ducks' and move their bodies in response. Toddlers show imagination as they dance to music.

Older children listen to classical music and talk about how the music makes them feel. Core books are weaved into daily routines. Staff support children's imagination as they act out scenes from 'The Gruffalo' while using the outdoor reading den.

Older children learn to be independent when they serve their own meal and put on their coats. Staff hold interesting discussions with children to support their communication and language and introduce new vocabulary. Children are interested in the world around them.

They show fascination as they notice that water has turned to ice, and staff help them to understand this process. However, sometimes, the noise levels and distractions in the pre-school room prevents children from being able to listen and concentrate during some group activities.The provider ensures that the nursery focuses carefully on meeting the needs of children with SEND.

Staff use their observations and assessments to track children's progress and to identify any gaps in children's learning. Staff engage well with parents and other professionals to ensure that children receive targeted support where needed. Subsequently, children with SEND are well supported.

Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents say that their children enjoy attending the setting, and they describe the staff as 'fantastic'. Staff give high priority to helping parents support children's learning at home, such as with useful home learning packs and the book lending library.

Children enjoy the healthy, freshly cooked meals that the nursery provides. Staff have meaningful conversations with children about what foods are healthy, such as vegetables and fruits. Children learn about the many ways they can keep themselves healthy, such as developing control and awareness of their bodies during planned yoga sessions.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the key-person systems for the younger babies to support children's personal, social and emotional needs more effectively consider noise levels and distractions in the pre-school room to help children listen and concentrate during group activities.