Kangaroo Pouch Brierley Hill

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are very happy, confident and chatty as they explore a wide range of exciting and motivating activities, indoors and outside. They have excellent relationships with their peers and staff.

This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children have fun in the exciting outdoor space, climbing the grassy hills, searching for insects and exploring natural materials. They design and build in the construction area and enjoy sensory activities, such as sand, flour and water.

Indoors, children freely access craft materials and learn to use resources creatively and safely. They also play imaginative games with staff, su...ch as going shopping and hospitals. As a result of their experiences, all children make good progress from their starting points.

Children develop good communication and language skills. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak dual languages. Children interact positively and show great respect for each other as they learn about the world around them through games, such as sound lotto.

They take turns, recognising and learning about animal, musical and environmental sounds. Children listen to stories intently and engage with activities that help them recall books they have read.

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

Leaders and managers assess the impact of their curriculum on children's learning effectively.

The curriculum is broad and well sequenced. Staff continually observe children, provide them with stimulating activities and monitor their progress. They swiftly identify and tackle any gaps in children's learning.

As a result, all children make good progress during their time at nursery.Staff provide activities that build on children's previous skills, experiences, knowledge and interests. However, staff do not make the most of opportunities to create an even richer learning environment.

For example, when children show an interest in numbers and the concept of money during role play, this is not fully explored. Therefore, there is scope to extend teaching even further, to enhance children's understanding of new knowledge and concepts.Staff provide exciting activities with clear curriculum intentions.

They know what they want the children to learn, such as understanding emotions and talking about feelings. However, they do not always make the best use of children's emerging interests to promote more appropriate discussions with them during play. Therefore, on occasions, staff are overly focused on their end goal and overlook opportunities to further challenge children's thinking.

Staff model the use of language with children effectively. They verbalise children's experiences and introduce new vocabulary at a level appropriate for each child's age and stage of development. Consequently, children develop their own language and vocabulary well.

Leaders and managers place high priority on staff well-being. They recognise the ambitions and strengths of their staff, and utilise these skills within the nursery. Staff feel supported to reflect on their practice and identify their personal development needs.

Staff developmental needs are met through in-house and external training, ongoing peer support and supervisions. This helps them continually develop their skills.Key persons know children well and ensure they meet their care needs.

Consequently, children feel emotionally secure and confident, and develop well physically and emotionally.Staff promote children's welfare. They are paediatric first-aid trained and there are clear processes for recording and monitoring accidents and incidents in place.

Parents are informed of any accidents and incidents within the nursery, and any concerns are dealt with appropriately. This helps to keep children safe.Management and staff have excellent partnerships with parents.

Parents say they cannot praise the setting enough for the care and education the managers and staff provide their children and the way they are kept informed of their children's progress. Communication between parents and staff is highly valued by parents, including parents of children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. This helps to promote continuity between the setting and home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The premises are secure. All staff are suitably checked to work with children.

Managers and all staff understand and can put into practice the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures. Managers and staff are aware of their responsibilities to protect children from harm. They have an understanding of the 'Prevent' duty agenda, including the threat of radicalisation, and also possible exposure to drug-related crime through county lines.

They are aware of female genital mutilation and have effective systems for monitoring children's attendance. This helps to keep children safe and promote their well-being.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to make better use of children's interests to promote more appropriate discussions with them during play, to further challenge their thinking nextend teaching to help create an even richer learning environment, to further enhance children's understanding of new knowledge and concepts.