Headstart Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children love to learn in the homely environment created by staff. They have close relationships with staff and settle quickly, seeking reassurance happily when needed.

This supports children's emotional development and ensures that they feel safe and secure. Children make firm friendships with each other from a young age. They hold their friends' hands and ask them how they are feeling.

Staff teach children to share and help one another. Two-year-olds help their friends to put woolly hats on ready to go outside. Children giggle as they try to put hats on the heads of staff.

Children gain a wide range of skill...s and knowledge through play. They are confident in making choices in their play and sharing their ideas. For example, children use knives and other tools to chop different foods in the play kitchen.

They keep trying when some vegetables are difficult. Children talk about why vegetables are good for you and about what food is unhealthy, such as cake. They use their imagination to create a 'vegetable cake' that tastes like chocolate and strawberry.

They share their cake proudly with staff and sing 'happy birthday' to them.Children are courteous and show respect to staff and others, using 'please' and 'thank you'. Children in the pre-school room wait patiently with their hand up and take turns to speak during group conversations.

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

Staff have a good knowledge of children's learning and development. They know the children well and talk about their individual care needs. Staff observe children throughout the day and accurately assess what they need to learn next.

They identify when children may need additional support quickly, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They focus on supporting any potential gaps in children's learning and experiences.Staff interactions are effective and develop children's ability to communicate from a young age.

While children in the baby room paint pictures using different tools, staff repeat key sounds and talk to them about what they are doing. Children smile and repeat words such as 'more' and 'tap, tap' while making paint marks on the paper with their fingers. Staff encourage the children to describe what they have created, including the different colours they have mixed.

Usually, children behave well. They listen to staff and follow instructions. At snack time, staff ask children to get their own drinks and remind them how to pass plates to their friends.

They support children to follow familiar daily routines, including washing their hands independently. Occasionally, staff's behaviour expectations and boundaries are not consistent. Some staff remind children to listen closely to stories such as 'The three little pigs'.

They support children to concentrate on repeating familiar sentences when appropriate. However, some staff do not support children to focus during stories. Children wander around with toys and make noise, distracting themselves and others.

Staff provide opportunities that engage children through their current interests. They also support children to develop interests they may not experience elsewhere. For instance, pre-school children have a keen interest in the environment.

They develop their creativity and pencil skills as they work together to draw a map of Grantham. Staff support children in recalling information from a walk they went on in the local community. Children share their ideas excitedly on adding the local landmarks they saw, and how to draw them.

However, staff do not always consider fully what it is they want children, as individuals, to learn. Some opportunities are too challenging, or not challenging enough for some children. Occasionally, some children begin to lose concentration during activities.

The leadership team reflects on and evaluates the quality of experiences children receive. Leaders work together with staff, parents and carers to make improvements. They monitor staff practice and provide all staff with high-quality training opportunities.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. This helps to maintain a well-established staff team.Staff work with parents on all aspects of children's care and learning needs, including toilet training.

Parents feel well informed about children's progress, including preparing for school. Parents comment on children becoming independent and confident since attending the nursery, and the new experiences staff provide. Children of all ages are independent and are keen to try things for themselves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a thorough knowledge of how to keep children safe from harm. Safeguarding policies and procedures are kept up to date and staff attend regular safeguarding training.

Staff check the environment regularly to ensure it is a safe place for children to play. There is a clear procedure for visitors and the site is secure. Staff and leaders understand their responsibilities in monitoring and reporting any signs and symptoms that indicate a child may be at risk of harm.

They are confident in how to escalate any concerns. Leaders have a robust recruitment process and continuously monitor the suitability of all staff.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's understanding of how to manage children's behaviour effectively and consistently differentiate planned activities and interactions further, ensuring they build on what children know and can do and meet the individual developmental needs of all children.