Hillside Children’s Centre Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy at the nursery.

They form close attachments to an adult and they welcome their involvement during their play. Children are clear about their own likes and dislikes, and they learn to lead their play well. They move freely between the indoor and outside play area to explore and learn from a wide range of resources.

Younger children curiously explore the musical toys. For instance, they learn to shake and bang on them to create sounds. Children learn to use different tools appropriately when playing with play dough.

They develop their creative skills and imagination well. Staff talk to childre...n effectively during their play to help support their communication and language skills. Younger children begin to babble, use single words and short sentences to express themselves.

Children with gaps in their speech are swiftly identified and early intervention put in place to support their development. Older children develop their mathematical skills effectively. For example, they learn to count and recognise numbers, sizes and shapes successfully.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They make children aware of different feelings and emotions and how to treat others. Children behave well.

They listen and show respect to staff.

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

Leaders consider feedback from staff, parents and children when evaluating the nursery. Children's learning is a high priority.

Staff ensure play opportunities are linked to children's interests and needs. Leaders provide ongoing guidance and supervision meetings to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning.Staff form very close relationships with parents.

They make them aware of their children's progress and ways to continue their learning at home. Staff work with parents and the local authority to provide support and agree how they can help children further, especially children with gaps in their speech. Parents provide complimentary feedback about the nursery.

For example, they say that children settled very quickly and they receive high-quality care from their key person.Staff observe and assess children's learning well. They provide stimulating opportunities for children to develop their skills and to help them make good progress with their development.

Some children moving on to school make excellent progress, especially with their literacy skills. For example, staff support older children well to learn about letters and the sounds they represent.Staff provide a wide range of resources and activities to give children choice and to support their learning.

For example, they provide games for children to enjoy and to strengthen their memory and language development. Older children demonstrate very good concentration and positive attitudes to learning as they often request to repeat and continue their play.Staff make good use of children's play to strengthen their listening, thinking and speaking skills.

Children demonstrate good understanding when responding to simple instructions and questions. They express themselves well and they retell past experiences confidently.Staff support children to develop good health.

For example, they provide nutritious food for them to eat. Children enjoy physical activities and exercise. They have access to a large space in the garden and they learn to climb, run and jump.

Children demonstrate good coordination, balance and mobility.Staff are sensitive and caring towards children. They work closely with parents to support children's emotional well-being and to provide flexible routines that meet their personal care needs.

Younger children get to rest and sleep during their play.During circle time, children talk about their feelings and the rules of the nursery. Staff model positive behaviour for them to copy and learn.

This helps children to behave well and to develop a sense of right from wrong.Most children develop their social skills effectively. However, staff miss some opportunities to help individual children who need further support to develop their confidence to play with others.

Staff begin to make older children aware of risks in the environment. However, they do not proactively and consistently embed this throughout the nursery to help raise children's awareness of how to recognise hazards and keep themselves safe to a higher level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff have a secure understanding of their responsibility to safeguard and protect children. They provide safeguarding training and regular opportunities for staff to update their knowledge. Staff have a good knowledge of child protection and wider safeguarding issues.

They know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and abuse. Staff are familiar with the procedures to report concerns and allegations. They keep accurate records of children's attendance and they monitor them closely for patterns that may occur.

Staff and children follow good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands at appropriate times. Leaders implement robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make better use of opportunities during children's play and routine tasks to strengthen children's social skills even further continue to embed procedures for helping children to develop a greater understanding of how to recognise risks in the environment from a young age.