Imagine Nation Preschool and Day care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy when they arrive.

They eagerly run into the nursery and are warmly welcomed by the staff. Children look for their friends and happily share their news from home with staff. For example, one child excitedly tells staff, 'I am going to have a baby sister'.

Staff show lots of interest in children's news and happily congratulate the child, which effectively supports their self-esteem and confidence. Children who are settling in quickly settle to play. All children show they feel safe at nursery.

Children are confident to approach staff for reassurance and they enjoy staff's positive interactions... with them as they play. Children show a positive attitude to their learning. They are keen to choose their own play materials and confidently move resources to extend their play, for example they pretend to make noodles.

The curriculum has a high focus on children's interests and this results in children being motivated and curious to explore what is on offer. Children tell staff the ingredients that they want to put into their noodle. They work out how long they want to cook their noodle for in the oven.

This contributes to children's creativity, mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills.

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

The staff team say that it feels very supported and valued by the management team. They show a commitment to the staff's ongoing professional development.

Staff have access to a range of targeted, training opportunities. Learnings from these have been used well to shape the curriculum and help staff to close any emerging developmental gaps in children's learning.Staff are successful in broadening the experiences children have at home, when they start the nursery.

For example, staff support children to be confident, and to explore a range of textures during messy play. They effectively extend children's understanding about the local community and nature. For instance, children visit local parks where they have room to run, play on the logs and talk about the flowers.

However, the curriculum for outdoor learning is not yet fully implemented to ensure learning outdoors complements what children learn indoors.Overall, staff promote children's speaking skills well. Staff talk to children as they play and show an interest in what they are doing.

Older children are becoming articulate as they tell staff how to make noodles. However, on occasions, staff do not use questions skilfully. For example, they ask questions that only require children to nod their head or respond with one word.

Hence, not encouraging children to extend their thinking and ability to express their ideas even more.Children enjoy pretend play. They are focused and engaged as they make pretend food with staff.

Children explain their ingredients to staff who show children the recipe cards. However, opportunities to encourage children's writing skills are not implemented as well as possible. For instance, staff write and draw the ingredients on the chalk board, not allowing children to have a go.

This does not encourage children to enhance their writing skills.Parents speak very positively about the nursery. They comment on how friendly and approachable the staff are.

They say staff provide them with useful information daily, so they know what their children have been doing. Parents are happy that their children are learning new skills, such as becoming more confident. They would highly recommend the nursery to other parents.

Children are very independent. They competently serve themselves. Older children competently attend to their personal needs and know to wash their hands at routine times.

Staff gently guide younger children. They develop good physical skills as they eagerly join in music and dance. Children are prepared well for the future and eventually starting school.

Children behave well and they quickly learn about the daily routines. They eagerly help to tidy away at the end of the session. Children listen to staff when they are reminded to be kind to their friends and to share.

They are respectful of others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff demonstrate a confident understanding about how to keep children safe and promote their welfare.

Staff complete refresher safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date. This ensures they know about the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know how to record and report any concerns that may arise.

Thorough recruitment procedures are in place and checks are made to ensure that staff are, and remain, suitable to work with children. Staff supervise children effectively and take steps to identify and reduce hazards to children. Systems for recording and reporting accidents or incidents are accurate.

The premises are safe and secure. The ratio for staff and children is well maintained, and facilities for storing food are effective.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the curriculum for outdoors to ensure children's learning is fully supported during these times think about the way questions are used to help encourage children to express their views and ideas, and enhance their speaking skills even further nuse opportunities as they arise to encourage older children's literacy development, such as their writing skills to extend their learning further.