Foundation Years Nurseries Debdale Park

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The managers are passionate about the care and education they offer. They have a clear vision which they share with staff and parents to nurture young children and learn about nature. The nursery is welcoming and exciting both indoors and outdoors.

Children are encouraged to embrace outdoor learning at every opportunity. Children take care of resources and learn about recycling and the environment. They grow their own fruit trees and enjoy collecting apples and pears to eat at snack time.

Children are involved in many exciting community projects, for instance being involved with the nearby ecocentre. Managers have put ...in place a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. Children's interests and current abilities inform their next steps in learning.

Children feel safe and secure and enjoy their time at nursery. Staff have close relationships with children, who go to their key person for comfort. Children feel reassured because they are familiar with routines.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and are positive role models for them. They teach children how to look after themselves and to respect and understand others. Children develop positive attitudes and learn to socialise with others.

Children manage their emotions well with the support of caring, knowledgeable and patient staff.

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

Staff have good knowledge of how individual children learn. They know their key children well and plan teaching based around their individual interests.

Children are motivated, engaged and clearly enjoy their time at the setting. Staff consistently praise children's achievements and this encourages their perseverance and progress.All children make good progress from their starting points.

This includes children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff access speech and language support for children. Strategies are in place to help children to develop language further, which involves their families.

For example, information is displayed in different languages for parents to access.Children have a wide range of experiences involving the local community. They go on regular 'learning walks' in the local woodland and park with staff.

Children explore nature and learn about the environment. They also learn about different cultures and beliefs. This helps children to be accepting and understanding of others.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children understand the effect they have on others. They help each other to learn how to put on their coats, hats and boots when they go outside.

They praise each other for their efforts. Staff are positive role models and expect children to take care of themselves, others and the environment. Routines are consistent as staff use clear communication and children know what to expect.

Children are encouraged to take risks when playing in the woodland garden area. They climb on a variety of equipment, run and hide in the trees. Staff discuss with children how to keep safe on the wet ground while doing this.

Children understand how to keep themselves safe in different situations.Children learn about their community as they take part in local community events. They have recently taken part in a local Remembrance Day service in the nearby woodland.

They also take part in recycling and learn about waste management at the local ecocentre. This helps children to learn experience the wider world in ways they might not otherwise access.Staff report feeling supported with their workload by each other and the management.

Opportunities for professional discussions and supervisions take place regularly. However, staff training and opportunities for professional development for all staff are not precisely targeted and monitored to ensure a consistent impact on the quality of teaching.Managers actively help parents to access support for their families and signpost them to local services.

This includes applying for school places and services for children with additional needs. Any funding received is used effectively to enhance experiences and outcomes for children.Parents are very involved in the settling in process when starting nursery.

This helps children to feel emotionally settled. Parents are informed of their child's progress and have excellent communication with their key person. Parents and families are extremely complimentary about the staff team.

They actively recommend the nursery to others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The management and staff attend safeguarding training and have updates at monthly staff meetings.

Staff are knowledgeable about signs and symptoms of abuse and know what to do if they are worried about a child or family. They know who to contact and the correct processes to follow. Staff have completed training in wider safeguarding issues to broaden their awareness.

This ensures they have the knowledge to be able to keep the children in their care safe and access the correct support when needed. The nursery is safe and secure and well maintained.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: plan staff supervision even more precisely to ensure that training is specifically targeted to enhance the quality of teaching and further improve professional development opportunities for all staff.