Halo Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The manager has made improvements since the last inspection to ensure that staff recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse. This helps to keep children safe from harm. All staff have completed the necessary training to reduce the likelihood of risks.

For example, all staff have attended paediatric first-aid training and have a knowledge of safeguarding. However, they have not yet strengthened the curriculum sufficiently to provide all children with consistent challenge throughout the day. During the daily routines, staff do not yet embed routines so that children know what to expect next.

They do not consistently organise... transitions from one activity to another so children can move through routines with ease and confidence. As a result, there are some times in the day when children are unsettled.Nonetheless, children arrive and are excited to meet staff, who are kind and caring.

Children regularly check in with staff, who offer them encouragement and reassurance. For example, when children play outside, they take part in an activity which requires them to be curious and problem-solve. When children demonstrate a reluctance to try, staff support their confidence and encourage them to give it a go.

When children happily say, 'I did it', staff praise their efforts. This helps children to behave well and have a positive attitude to their learning.

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

The manager has improved safeguarding procedures in the nursery.

Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the referral systems to help children to stay safe. Relevant training and engagement with the local authority have helped to make some improvements. However, the curriculum is not yet consistent to provide challenge for every child.

For example, during a reading activity, some staff were not consistently engaging children with the story or demonstrating that children's curiosity was ignited. As a result, some children were restless and were not provided with good-quality learning experiences. Not all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, may reach their full potential.

Overall, children learn to become effective communicators. Staff talk to children throughout play. For children who speak English as an additional language, staff limit the words they use.

This helps children to understand and start building their vocabulary. However, occasionally, some staff do not give children time to process information and respond before moving on to further questions. This does not support children to build their confidence in language skills.

Staff plan the curriculum to include what children know already and what they need to learn next. They consider children's current interests to help children to engage in their play. However, the routine for the day has recently been changed in the classroom.

This has yet to be embedded so children can follow with confidence what is happening next.Staff support children to build on their physical development. Children make play dough and explore the texture through mixing, rolling and squeezing.

This helps to build children's small finger muscles, which helps to develop their early writing skills. During outdoor play, children love to run in the local park, which they visit daily. They show joy as they run, jump and climb.

Staff support children to build their hand-eye coordination, for example when they play skittles and improve their precision skills.Staff encourage children to drink water throughout the day to hydrate their bodies. They show parents what a healthy lunchbox consists of and talk to children about healthy foods.

Children recall their knowledge of how to keep their teeth healthy, which they have previously learned. However, sometimes, staff do not remind children about good hygiene practices. For example, they do not remind children to put their hands to their mouths when sneezing or coughing, or to wipe their noses independently.

Staff generally teach children to build their independence skills. For instance, when children arrive at nursery, staff encourage them to put their bag on the peg. Children wash their hands before snack time and demonstrate they know this routine well.

However, sometimes, staff do not encourage children to tidy up after themselves before moving to the next activity, which is a skill they will need to prepare them for school.Parents appreciate the regular photos they receive so they know what their child is doing each day. They receive daily updates from the key person, who also checks on arrival if there is anything they should know about their child.

This helps staff to be aware of any changes that may impact a child's day. Parents say that their children make progress in their development.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date strengthen the curriculum so that every child is offered challenge in their learning to reach their full potential.22/07/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure that staff allow children enough time to process information and have time to respond make sure that all staff provide consistent strategies to manage routines during the day develop staff's approach in how they teach children good hygiene practices, such as wiping their noses independently and putting their hand to their mouths when sneezing and coughing be more consistent in how children learn independence, in particular when tidying up after themselves before moving on to the next activity.