Happifeet Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children confidently say 'good-bye' as they happily part from parents and carers. This demonstrates that they feel safe and emotionally secure.

Children are greeted by a designated key person. Children build a positive relationship with them to help to promote their sense of security. Children consistently behave well.

They keenly find their name card and independently register their attendance. They eagerly hang up their coats and bags on labelled pegs to help to promote a positive sense of belonging. Children's school readiness is at the heart of the curriculum.

For example, children have many opportunities ...to promote their self-help skills, independence and confidence. This is demonstrated when children independently use the toilet and wash their hands and successfully serve themselves during mealtimes. Staff provide many opportunities for children to strengthen their small muscles in preparation for early writing.

For instance, children squeeze dough and enthusiastically pick up objects with large tweezers.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported very well. Staff work effectively with external agencies to help identify and support children who have gaps in their learning.

This helps all children make the best possible progress from when they first start.

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

Overall, self-evaluation is effective. The provider and new manager have worked successfully together to help to improve the quality of practice and the provision, since the last inspection.

Additionally, they have sought support from the local authority to help to improve and meet the requirements. Generally, staff access a range of training to further support their continuous professional development. Despite this, some staff have not yet accessed further training to help to improve the already good care for babies they already offer.

The provider ensures that all staff who work with children are suitable to do so. She effectively follows robust procedures for safe recruitment. The manager provides new staff with an in-depth induction.

Generally, this helps to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities while working with children. Staff welcome supervision meetings and say that their well-being is supported well by the manager and provider.The sequenced curriculum provides children with enjoyable learning experiences across all areas of learning.

For example, babies are fascinated by the textures of flour and dried pasta and toddlers excitedly splash in troughs of water. Older children independently access art and craft materials and draw pictures of 'superman'. Overall, most staff assess and extend children's learning well as they play and learn.

Nevertheless, inexperienced, new staff are not supported as well as they can to help to improve their interactions with children.The provider uses additional funding effectively to ensure all children access the funding they are entitled to, in particular children with SEND. This helps staff to provide individual support for those children who require it the most.

Despite this, some assessments, in particular a progress check at the age of two, are not precise to help to further identify any significant emerging concerns in a child's learning and development.Staff provide children with many opportunities to help to promote their good health. For example, children have plenty of fresh air and physical exercise, such as when they excitedly run, jump and negotiate obstacles outdoors.

Furthermore, children enjoy a range of freshly prepared healthy meals and snacks and staff provide children with opportunities to talk about the importance of brushing teeth.The curriculum planning promotes communication and mathematical development well, overall. For instance, children listen to and enjoy stories staff consistently read.

Older children enthusiastically count candles as they carefully display them on cupcakes made from dough. Younger children begin to recognise different shapes and colours and solve problems as they complete a wooden number puzzle.Partnership with parents is effective.

Staff regularly discuss the progress children make over time with parents. They say they notice an increase in children's vocabulary and the progress their children make is 'brilliant'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager has a clear understanding of her safeguarding responsibility. She always prioritises children's welfare. The manager and staff recognise when a child might be at risk of harm, such as female genital mutilation, and the impact of domestic abuse on children's safety and welfare.

They know who to raise their concerns about a child with, including allegations against a member of staff if necessary. Staff attend frequent training to develop their knowledge further. They demonstrate good knowledge of their safeguarding responsibility.

The designated attendance officer monitors children's attendance. Any instances of poor attendance are swiftly followed up to help to ensure all children are kept safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: seek professional development opportunities, especially for the care of babies monitor staff performance more closely, particularly for less-experienced staff to help to support and improve interactions strengthen systems to record children's progress at the age of two.