Harlequins Private Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children happily come into the nursery and are confident to talk to visitors, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. The caring staff reassure babies with cuddles and songs.

Young children practise their small-muscle skills as they pick up sand with their fingers and pretend to feed the toy dinosaurs. Children hold umbrellas and splash in the rain as they learn balancing skills and think for themselves. For example, children pretend to 'walk the plank'.

Staff encourage children to work together to find a solution as other children try to join in from the wrong end. Staff plan activities and provide resources tha...t the children are interested in. As a result, children concentrate and are consistently engaged in purposeful play.

For example, children carefully fold and hide under blankets and scarves. Staff encourage them to smell freshly cut flowers as they explore their environment. Children learn to do things for themselves, such as putting their coats on the radiator to dry.

At mealtimes, staff select a helper to give out the plates and children are encouraged to serve their own food and drinks. Staff encourage children to use their manners, such as saying please and thank you. Older children know to wait until everyone has been served before they start to eat.

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

The enthusiastic staff encourage children to develop a love of books. Children learn the meaning of new words as staff encourage them to ask questions about the stories they listen to. For example, as children enjoy their favourite story about pirates, they ask, 'What does fail mean?' and 'What is a gasp?'.

Staff explain the meaning of these words to the children and tell them that these are good questions.Staff teach children early mathematical language and support them as they test new ideas. For example, children use a garden tap to fill their containers with water while staff talk about full and empty.

Staff allow younger children the time to find things out for themselves as they discover that colanders will not hold water, but a teapot will.Children practise their physical skills outside in the fresh air. They push scooters and wheelbarrows with staff support and climb the steps to the slide.

Staff encourage children to strengthen their small hand muscles, as they draw shapes with chalk on the ground. However, younger children sometimes become upset as they have to wait for extended periods for staff to get everyone ready to go outside.Staff support children to behave well.

Children listen to staff instructions to put toys away when it is time to tidy up. Staff encourage children to line up and walk like a train as they make their way outdoors. Staff help children to understand how to walk safely on the stairs.

Children recall what they have learned as they remind others to hold the bannister.Staff support children to be healthy. For example, as staff encourage children to wash their hands, they sing a song about handwashing and speak about why it is important to clean the germs away.

They talk about healthy fruit, as children choose from bananas, pears, and oranges during snack time.Staff teach children how to manage their feelings and care for each other. For example, as younger children notice the sleeping babies, staff talk to them about being quiet and gentle.

Children hold soft stars with faces that show different emotions, and staff say, 'That's sad, shall we give it a cuddle?'.The manager reflects on the staff's practice and encourages them to observe each other's interactions with children. Staff meet to discuss and consider new practice ideas and state they feel well supported by the manager.

The manager provides staff training to ensure ongoing improvement. For example, staff recently attended a course on empowering to help parents.Parents state they feel supported, involved and informed.

For example, managers ask parents for their comments on a nursery policy of the month. Staff communicate with parents online and through telephone calls. They discuss children's learning and their next steps.

Parents speak highly of the swift support to involve other professionals, such as speech and language therapists. Staff encourage parents to share children's experiences from home. They use this information to plan activities around children's interests and enhance their conversations with the children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a sound knowledge of safeguarding; they know the signs of abuse to look for and their responsibilities in keeping children safe. Staff are confident in recording and reporting any concerns to the relevant professionals.

They are aware of local safeguarding concerns, such as radicalisation, county lines and female genital mutilation. Staff attend regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date, such as safer sleeping. The nursery is kept secure and has clear visitor procedures.

Children are supervised well. Staff check the environment regularly to ensure that it is safe for children to play.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review transition times for younger children so that they are not kept waiting for prolonged periods and their learning is not interrupted.