Friendly Faces Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The nursery operates from a church hall. Despite its size, it has a cosy and homely feel.

Children of all ages share the same hall, with up to three babies being accommodated at any one time. Young babies have a dedicated space which is divided from the other play areas. Parents like this arrangement as it allows their babies, born during periods of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to have a greater range of social interactions.

Older babies are able to watch, learn and join in with their toddler friends. Pre-school children show empathy and care towards the babies and toddlers. Staff are aware of the supervisio...n required when children of different ages are mixing, so they can do so safely.

Activities capture children's imagination and extend their understanding. For example, children develop the ability to manipulate small objects as they make a snowman during a craft session. They are able to talk about the textures of the materials they are using and recall recent snowy weather.

The manager keeps the risks associated with COVID-19 under review. At the present time, parents are not coming into the nursery. Children have adapted to this change well and enter happily when greeted at the nursery door by one of the staff.

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

The manager is passionate about the links she has made between the nursery and the local community. Older children understand the need for community spirit. They work as a team to care for their community garden and learn about the life cycle of plants.

Pre-school children form a committee and are supported to make collective decisions.The manager discusses the importance of planning a curriculum which is based on the children's interests and themes. Staff also identify the next steps in children's learning, through regular assessments of their abilities.

Staff regularly share books with children and use familiar songs to support their communication and language development. Activities, such as drawing a snowman, are used to extend children's understanding of numbers, shapes and colours. They look carefully at pictures of different snowmen and start to understand the differences which make things unique.

Toddlers mix with pre-school children and enjoy learning by copying their older friends. However, at times the breadth of ages and abilities means that some large group activities or periods of general play do not precisely support children who are less able, to make the best possible progress.The manager understands how to access early help from a range of other professionals for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The curriculum is adapted to provide activities which meet the specific learning targets for children with SEND. For example, staff use traffic-light colours to communicate stop and go instructions. Clear routines support all children including those with SEND to understand nursery expectations.

The manager is able to demonstrate a good understanding of how to ensure the suitability of staff working with children. She discusses how she supports the professional development and career goals of staff through regular supervision meetings. However, the manager does not provide staff with the level of support and coaching they need to develop their teaching skills to the highest level.

The manager has a clear understanding of how to promote positive behaviour. Children learn how to share and take turns. Staff remind them to use kind hands.

The manager demonstrates a good understanding of how to support children's emotional well-being, for example through talking to children about their feelings and identifying different emotions. The children learn about oral health. The manager uses props, such as puppets, to reinforce positive messages about the importance of them brushing their teeth.

Parents are very happy with the provision. Several describe the nursery as 'brilliant' and that their children are 'excited to attend'. They value the home-cooked meals their children have.

They comment on the fact that this has extended the range of foods their children will eat. They are given information on how to extend their children's learning at home. The manager describes her efforts to support both nursery parents and those living locally.

For example, she has set up toy and clothes exchanges.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager is the named safeguarding lead in the nursery.

She has a good knowledge and understanding of child protection. The manager and her staff are aware of how to correctly report any concerns about children. All staff are paediatric first-aid trained and two staff have food hygiene training.

They are aware of the risks of using the kitchen to access the garden and have put safety measure in place to protect children. Children who use travel cots or lie-flat pushchairs for rest times are appropriately supervised and supported to settle to sleep.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review how large group activities and free-play sessions can be adapted to more precisely meet the learning needs of less-able children develop the arrangements for the supervision of staff to help them to improve their teaching skills even further.