Just Imagine Day Nursery Ltd - Vange

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enter the nursery eagerly. They are inspired by the wide range of natural and real-life resources indoors, and the excitingly presented garden. They soon become absorbed in their play.

Enthusiastic staff adeptly support children to use their imaginations to create awe-inspiring play experiences. For example, children want to be pirates and are encouraged to fetch scarves to wear. They dig a hole to bury their silver foil 'treasure', make maps and go on an expedition, using an atlas to plan a route.

They decide they need a hideout and search for 'bricks' and other materials. Children bathe their 'babies' and ex...plain they must feed them. They count the scoops of flour they put into feeding bottles and carefully fill with water to the line to make their 'baby's' milk .

Babies are cared for in an exceptionally nurturing environment. Staff follow their personal routines and instinctively know if children are feeling 'under the weather' or are tired. They provide soothing words and cuddles to comfort them.

Babies love to look at books and approach their key person to read them their favourite story. The key-person system is not always highly effective in supporting children at times when they most need comfort and security, for example, when they first attend the nursery.

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

Staff respond extremely well to children's cues and skilfully ignite these to keep them engaged.

They expertly adapt activities to ensure they continue to capture children's interests. For instance, staff noticed children were not using a letter writing activity so replaced this with maps and atlases to build on their fascination with pirates, maps and treasure.Staff are very positive role models.

They communicate respectfully and talk to the children kindly. Children are praised for their good behaviour and listen carefully to, and follow, instructions. They carry out 'risk assessments' to help them recognise what is safe and tidy away objects that could cause them to trip.

Staff introduce new words to help build on children's existing vocabulary. They ask them to 'investigate' what is under the paving slab. Children confidently use words such as 'antenna' as they carefully inspect a slug in their hand.

They repeat names of countries when looking at a map and later tell the member of staff 'the treasure is buried in Russia'.All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make rapid progress. Staff work very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive the specialised input they need.

For example, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists visit the nursery to ensure staff are well equipped with the knowledge they need to implement specific programmes of support.Children are cared for in an exceptionally inclusive environment. Staff ensure that all children can join in with all the activities.

Children pick up on this approach and gently help their friends to finish a race or clamber through tyres.The staff team has recently adopted a new educational approach. Staff received relevant training to enable them to confidently provide a highly responsive learning environment for all children.

Staff comment that they can see a real difference in how children learn, and they appreciate that they are able to spend more time interacting with the children to gain an in-depth knowledge of their needs and interests. Staff feel well supported. They meet with their manager regularly to discuss any issues and processes are in place to monitor the quality of teaching.

The key-person approach is generally effective and mostly meets children's emotional needs. Babies gravitate to their key person for comfort and staff know their key children extremely well. However, some aspects of the routine are not organised effectively to ensure the key person or their buddy consistently meets a child's care needs or, for example, is readily available to ensure a smooth transition into the nursery when children first start.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff complete regular safeguarding training and are confident to follow procedures if they have concerns about a child. This includes wider safeguarding issues, such as recognising children who may be exposed to extreme views and behaviour.

Relevant records, including registers and accident recordings, are maintained and monitored so that staff are alert to any potential risks to children's safety. Leaders and managers follow recruitment and induction processes to check the suitability of applicants and new staff, as well as taking measures to monitor the ongoing suitability of their staff team.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of the key-person system to ensure that children receive the highest levels of emotional support at times when they need it the most.