Jumping Jac’s Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children behave well and develop positive attitudes towards their learning.

They are respectful, hold doors open for each other and politely greet visitors as they pass by. Children show high levels of confidence. They decide to water the herbs they are growing in the garden because 'the sun has been out'.

Children learn to be independent. Older children put on their own coats and shoes. Babies feed themselves.

The nursery is a hive of activity, which promotes children's natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. Children talk with enthusiasm about their 'magic potions' as they create their mixture. They practi...se their cutting skills as they snip fresh herbs to add to their mixture and talk about the smell of the 'mint' and 'lavender'.

All children benefit from a language rich environment. Children speak with enthusiasm about how they enjoy 'listening to stories'. Babies eagerly join in music and dance sessions, smiling broadly as they shake musical instruments and learn new actions.

Two-year-old children sing enthusiastically and take turns choosing the next song. Older children use their developing language to answer questions, express their opinions and share their news with their friends. Children develop the skills and attitudes for their next stage of learning, including their move on to school.

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

Leaders have made significant improvement since the last inspection. They have engaged in a variety of training and worked closely with the local authority to make positive changes. There has been a strong focus on developing safeguarding and child protection knowledge, staff professional development and behaviour management.

Leaders review and implement focused professional development plans for staff to help to continually improve their knowledge and skills, and make sure staff's teaching practice is of a consistently high quality. However, development opportunities for less-experienced staff to help to enhance their interactions with children are not as robust.Leaders have devised a well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum that covers all areas of learning and is understood and implemented by the staff.

The quality of teaching is good. Staff know the children well. They monitor their progress and plan exciting activities and experiences that match their learning needs and interests.

However, the lunchtime routine does not always work well in practice for children who are sometimes sitting and waiting for too long before lunch. This results in some children becoming slightly restless.Parents are very complimentary about the nursery.

They say they appreciate the daily feedback from the staff about their children's day and the support they receive to continue their child's learning at home. They comment on the good progress their children make.The well-being of the staff is very important to the management team, and staff report that they feel well supported.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is strong. Leaders work closely with parents and outside agencies to ensure children receive the help they need.Staff are fun, friendly and caring.

Children develop strong attachments to the staff and enjoy their interactions.Staff manage children's behaviour effectively. Children make strong, inclusive friendships with their peers.

They share, take turns and frequently ask others to join in their play.Staff promote children's learning as they play. For example, they support children to count, use mathematical language and match number to quantity.

Children develop the small muscles in their hands as they peg socks in matching pairs onto a washing line.Staff showcase children's creations around the nursery and give lots of praise for children's achievements, and efforts. This helps to build children's self-esteem and confidence.

Children enjoy a wide variety of activities, indoors and outdoors, which helps to promote their physical development. Staff support children to engage freely in adventurous play. For example, as children climb trees in the nursery garden they learn to assess their own abilities, take risks and develop their problem-solving skills.

The exceptionally well-resourced outdoor play area effectively extends the children's learning environment. Children create art work from leaves, twigs, fresh herb plants and mud. They access fact and fiction books independently.

They develop their fine motor control as they use pipettes, tweezers and scissors and as they draw with chalks, pencils and crayons. Children enjoy making music from pots and pans and find, and observe insects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff have a comprehensive understanding of the possible signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They know when and where to refer a concern about a child's welfare. They know the procedure for referring allegations against a member of staff.

Staff supervise children well and support children to keep themselves safe. For example, children learn to safely use the stairs. Staff make daily checks of the premises and resources.

This helps to ensure the environment is safe for children to play in. Staff are vigilant about the security of the premises.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on the support and guidance provided to less-experienced staff and help them to raise their quality of interactions with children during their play review the organisation of lunchtime routines, so that children do not have to wait unnecessarily.