Horwich Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and confident at the nursery. Toddlers freely approach their key person and enjoy time for cuddles.

They develop secure attachments with staff and feel safe. Children are confident to investigate and explore their environment. For example, they build up toy bricks and laugh as they knock them down.

Children happily share and take turns. They are supported by practitioners who have high expectations for them. As a result, children's behaviour is good.

Practitioners support children to understand the world around them. Children enjoy engaging in experiences that link to a 'sea' theme. They dev...elop their fine-motor skills as they explore the textures of sand and water, carefully squeezing it through their fingers.

Children explore a small fish tank full of toy sea animals. They talk about the green crab and blue dolphin. Afterwards, they are encouraged to develop their creative skills as they draw what they can see.

Children are developing a love of reading. They routinely ask adults to read books to them. Children listen intently as the story is read and confidently ask questions about the pictures.

Practitioners follow the children's interests as the book stimulates discussions. This supports children's early reading and communication skills.

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

Leaders and practitioners have worked to significantly improve the nursery since the last inspection.

This includes a review of policies and risk assessments. Practitioners' well-being has been a focus over the last few months. They now say that they feel valued and supported in their role.

Practitioners receive regular supervision and access training to develop their practice. They say the recent changes have resulted in a much happier nursery environment.Overall, the curriculum is effective and engages children.

Practitioners know their key children well and speak confidently about their learning and next steps. They take children's interests into consideration. For example, they enable children who recently went to the beach to revisit the experience during indoor play at nursery.

However, the outdoor area has limited resources and does not engage all children in the same high-quality learning experiences. As a result, when outdoors, children are not always accessing play that will stimulate their thinking and problem solving to the highest level.Children feel safe and secure.

This is because strong partnership working with parents supports children's transition to nursery. Practitioners understand how to support children because they know their individual needs. For example, children who have returned to nursery after time off are comforted.

They settle and begin to play, supported by their key person. As a result, children feel valued and are reassured as they learn to understand their feelings.Practitioners ensure that children's needs are met.

Assessments are completed to identify any developmental concerns. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and other agencies to offer children any early additional interventions needed. As a result, all children are supported to achieve well.

Leaders monitor the impact of the curriculum and any gaps in learning. They use additional funding appropriately to support and extend children's learning where it is needed most. For example, specific resources have been purchased for children who needed help with mathematics.

Children engage in frequent interactions with their key person. Practitioners are consistently at the children's level when talking to them. At lunchtime, 'Jerry the jellyfish' is brought to the table to stimulate discussions.

Children talk about his family and home. However, not all practitioners use these routine opportunities to extend children's vocabulary. This is because some practitioners have not received support in order to consistently promote high-quality interactions which develop children's communication skills.

Children are developing their independence. For example, they are supported to wash their hands and use cutlery at mealtimes. Children are keen to have a go at activities and develop their skills.

For example, older children ask to use some scissors so they can cut. They attempt to cut the paper and listen carefully to the practitioner's guidance. Children show pride when they achieve what they set out to do.

This has a positive impact on children's well-being and confidence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers have reviewed the policy on e-safety and children do not access the nursery electronic devices unless fully supervised by an adult.

The gate is padlocked while children play outside, which prevents access to people passing by. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the potential signs and symptoms of abuse. They know how to identify and refer any concerns about a child in their care.

Furthermore, all staff have recently completed safeguarding training within the local authority. This ensures that staff understand the correct procedures to follow if they have concerns regarding a child or in the event of an allegation being made.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop practitioners' skills in the use of strategies to support children's communication development through high-quality interactions develop the outdoor area and help practitioners to consider the characteristics of effective learning and create awe and wonder within children's play.

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