Harvey Bears Nursery and Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have fun and enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery.

They form close relationships with the caring staff. Children are motivated and eager to learn. They investigate a wide range of good-quality resources.

Babies display curiosity as they excitedly push buttons on toys to make them light up and make noise. They receive lots of cuddles from the staff if they become tired or upset. This helps them to feel emotionally secure.

Children's early literacy skills are developing. They listen attentively to stories and join in with songs and rhymes. Young children investigate the sounds that musical instrum...ents make.

Staff support their emerging language as they encourage them to use single words, such as 'bang'. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise as they play outside in the garden. They develop strength in their legs as they hold hands with staff and excitedly bounce on a small trampoline.

Children confidently interact with visitors and invite them to join in with their play. They use their imagination as they engage in role play activities and pretend to make a milkshake. Children have meaningful conversations with their friends and confidently tell visitors and staff what they like to eat at their favourite restaurant.

The management team has changed some aspects of its practice during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure children and their families remain safe and well. Parents drop off and collect their children at the door. Children quickly adapted to the new routine.

They arrive happy, and quickly settle.

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

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure all adults are suitable to work with children.

Staff regularly complete online training which is personalised according to their individual professional development needs and interests. They speak positively about the good levels of support they receive from management for their own well-being.The manager and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the curriculum and what they would like children to learn.

Staff make regular assessments of what children know and can do. They use these effectively to plan what children need to learn next. Children make good progress.

Staff regularly engage children in meaningful conversations. They introduce words such as 'nest' as they talk about a pigeon they can see in the garden. These incidental conversations support children's communication and language skills well.

However, although staff have made and plan to use visual displays and signs, to further support the youngest children and children who struggle with their communication skills, they do not make regular use of these. This means that, on occasions, these children are not supported as well as possible to understand the routine and share their own interests and wants.A well-established key-person system supports children to form strong relationships with staff and promotes their well-being and independence.

Staff share information with parents about their child's progress in a range of ways. They speak to them at the beginning and end of the day and choose to add photographs and videos of children's achievements to online learning records. However, staff are yet to offer parents enough encouragement and support to regularly share information with them about children's learning at home, to help further build on this learning at the nursery.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They speak with other professionals to share information and plan together to move children forward in their learning. Staff ensure the curriculum they provide meets all children's individual needs.

Children enjoy a range of experiences that help them to understand the world around them. Staff regularly take children out for walks in the community. They teach children about road safety and remind them not to stroke dogs they are not familiar with.

This supports children to take responsibility for their own safety.Children behave well. Staff are good role models.

They gently remind children of the nursery rules throughout the day, for example to use 'listening ears' and 'kind hands'. Staff offer children lots of praise and encouragement. This boosts children's confidence and self-esteem.

Children are developing some language to describe feelings. For example, in conversations they use words such as 'happy' and 'sad'. However, staff are yet to plan activities within their curriculum to teach older children more complex concepts relating to feelings and emotions, to help them further develop their understanding of these.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures. They supervise children well.

A secure entry system is in place which means no unauthorised person can enter the building. Staff attend safeguarding training and keep their first-aid certificates up to date. They know how to identify, respond to and manage any signs that may suggest a child is at risk of harm.

Staff have a good awareness of a broad range of safeguarding issues and know who to contact if they have a concern. The nursery has a detailed safeguarding policy which is understood by staff and shared with parents.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide parents with even more support and encouragement to regularly share information about their children's learning at home, to further extend their learning at nursery strengthen opportunities to help the youngest children and those with additional needs better understand the routine and communicate their own interests and wants provide even more opportunities for older children to develop their understanding of complex feelings and emotions.

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