Happy Feet Day Care Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Staff welcome children and their families into this friendly nursery at the beginning of each session.

Children happily say goodbye to their parents and carers and make independent choices about what they would like to play with. Children quickly become busy exploring play dough or mixing colours to paint with. Staff talk to children as they play and ask questions to enhance their learning.

Some children are keen to play outside and eagerly ask staff if they can play with the football. The ability to choose their play supports children to become confident and happy learners. However, leaders have not ensured that the requ...irements regarding paediatric first-aid qualifications for some staff members are consistently met.

Children receive broad and varied opportunities to learn. For example, leaders and staff take children on regular trips to the library. Children enjoy outings to the post office to find out about how letters and parcels are delivered.

There are plans in place for a visit from a police officer, to talk to children about being safe and what to do in an emergency. These experiences support children to know and understand more about their community and the people who help them.

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

Children know the daily routines of the nursery well and their behaviour is good.

For example, children help to tidy up the resources at the end of the play session. Leaders and staff have developed a programme of activities and experiences to support children to find out more about topics such as the seasons and nature. Staff consider children's interests and next steps in learning when setting up the play environment.

This helps children to remain engaged in their play and develop positive attitudes to their learning.During the inspection, some children who only attend the nursery before and after school, were accompanied to school by a member of staff who does not hold a paediatric first-aid qualification. This was an oversight by leaders due to an issue with staffing arrangements.

However, going forward, leaders state that staffing arrangements will ensure that only staff who are qualified in paediatric first-aid take children to and from school or accompany them on outings.The interactions between staff and children are warm and friendly. For example, staff in the baby room sing nursery rhymes to babies.

Babies smile and make eye contact with their key person during these interactions. However, on some occasions, other activities to promote children's listening and understanding are not always carried out as effectively. For instance, during some story-time sessions, staff do not consistently ensure that all children can see and hear the story.

This does not support all children to fully benefit from these experiences and develop their listening and attention skills.Leaders ensure that appropriate referrals are made to outside agencies, to further support children with speech and language needs. They share strategies with parents for how they can further help to develop their children's communication skills at home.

This helps to ensure that children make the expected progress with their speaking and communication skills.Leaders and staff invite parents into the nursery for regular stay-and-play sessions. This helps to build relationships between parents, leaders and staff.

Parents receive regular newsletters from leaders. This helps to keep them informed about the topics and activities that children are learning about. However, some parents do not know their child's individual next steps in learning.

This does not fully support them to help their child to make more rapid progress towards their development goals.Leaders hold regular management and staff meetings. This helps them to evaluate their practice and consider areas for development.

Staff have taken part in training courses provided by the local authority. This has helped to further support their interactions with children. There are plans in place to make enhancements to the outdoor area, to broaden children's opportunities for learning outside.

Children develop their sense of independence. For example, they help to set the plates and cutlery out for mealtimes. Children use large spoons and tongs to serve their own portions.

They help to clear away the leftovers on their plates after eating. These routines support children to grow their sense of responsibility and prepares them well for starting school.

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 and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that members of staff who accompany children to and from school, or on outings, hold a paediatric first-aid qualification.31/05/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to improve the delivery of story-time sessions, to fully promote children's listening and attention skills strengthen communication with parents to help them to know their children's next steps in learning, to enable them to support their children's learning further at home.