Honey Pot House Day Nursery (Knowle)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy attending this nursery.

They settle quickly and benefit from close bonds with the nurturing staff who care for them. Children's health and well-being is promoted. They are encouraged to wash their hands regularly and personal care needs, such as toileting and nappy changes, are managed well.

Children learn to wipe their noses when needed and inform staff if the tissues need refilling. Fresh drinking water is available and nutritious meals are provided. Children's independence is encouraged.

They collect their meals as they are served, use appropriate cutlery to have a go at cutting up their food..., and scrape and stack their plates when they have finished.Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning. They engage in the varied activities provided that follow their interests and enrich learning opportunities.

Babies and toddlers access their environment with confidence. They explore the different textures and sensory experiences with staff close by to encourage learning and support their play. Older children often lead experiences and extend on their prior learning.

For example, they use readily available resources to act out familiar stories. Children hide a toy dinosaur before pretending to negotiate a journey with various obstacles in the way. As they arrive, they say they are going into 'a dark, dark cave' and declare 'there he is' as they find it.

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

Leaders, managers and staff have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They comply with the requirements of the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage'. Children's needs are met, and their safety is assured.

There have been some changes to the staff team since the last inspection. New staff have joined, and existing staff have a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders and managers ensure that they and their staff complete required training, such as safeguarding and paediatric first aid, and are appropriately deployed to ensure children's needs are met.

They evaluate ongoing practice, seek support and guidance from other professionals and are working hard to raise the quality of provision for children. For example, they are currently finding ways to help raise children's awareness of diversity and make connections with the local and wider communities.Leaders and managers carry out supervisions and have identified staff strengths and where support is needed to improve effectiveness.

Staff report that they feel valued. However, a culture of mutual support and teamwork is not fully embedded. Staff are not benefitting from enough high-quality professional development opportunities that focus on continually enhancing their practice.

Children engage in a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities that motivate them to learn. Following the last inspection, a new curriculum has been implemented. Staff observe and assess children to find out their current interests and what they already know and can do.

They use this information to plan and provide a range of experiences based on varied books and stories. Staff know the children well and know when to join in with children's play and when to step back and allow children to lead. They interact well and ask open-ended questions to encourage children's thinking and prompt a response.

Children make good progress in their learning and development and are prepared for their next stage of learning.Children are confident talkers. They understand and use wide vocabulary and express themselves well.

For example, they explain that a pterodactyl can fly. When asked if a Tyrannosaurus rex can fly, they think for a moment and respond by saying, 'Are you joking?' As the 'joke' is confirmed they chuckle and say, 'that's funny'. Other children are proud to show their achievements and quickly point out and name each of the planets on their space-themed display.

Children generally behave well. The special educational needs coordinator liaises with other professionals and is supporting staff to manage the most challenging behaviours. Staff have adopted some appropriate strategies, that are discussed and agreed with parents, and provide consistency in the setting and elsewhere.

Older children understand what is expected of them and they show care and consideration to others. However, at times some children struggle to manage their feelings, and their behaviour impacts on the experiences of others.Parents, grandparents and/or carers are very pleased with the provision.

They feel that staff are friendly and caring and state that they happily recommend the nursery to family and friends.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers ensure that they obtain the appropriate and required vetting checks for persons who work with children.

They, and the staff, have appropriate knowledge of safeguarding issues. For example, they can identify signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and understand how to report conduct concerns about other staff members to the correct agencies. Responsibilities to protect children regarding the 'Prevent' duty guidance are understood.

Furthermore, leaders, managers and staff take appropriate steps to support vulnerable children and their families. They work with other agencies to ensure they get the help they need. Leaders and managers ensure that documentation and records are accurate and sufficiently detailed.

Regular safety checks are implemented, and steps taken to minimise hazards to children. Staff are vigilant and children's safety is maintained.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide more focused and highly effective professional development opportunities to help staff strengthen knowledge and practice and embed a culture of mutual support and teamwork support children to manage their own feelings and behaviours and understand how these have an impact on others.