Kennet Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

All staff have very high expectations for children. They have extremely clear intentions for what they want children to learn and how. Staff plan exceptionally well to help ensure all children are provided with the best possible start for their future learning.

A strong focus is placed on children's language and communication skills. For example, a listening and attention activity captured young children's engagement very well. They were particularly interested in the resources used to incorporate new words that build on their vocabulary.

These included new terms such as 'big', 'bigger' and 'biggest', which were... delivered at precise times to help children put size into context, as the staff member blew up a balloon. Children showed fascination as they watched the spinning light used during the activity as the staff member modelled an excellent range of language, including 'push', 'round', 'spinning', 'slow' and 'fast'. Staff have an excellent understanding of children's individual needs.

Settling-in arrangements, home visits and highly effective transitions between age-based rooms thoroughly support the ways that children settle at nursery and are motivated to learn. Staff teaching is consistently outstanding. Children are excited and extremely attentive throughout all their activities.

They have exceptionally strong bonds with staff and show they feel safe and emotionally secure. Children demonstrate respect for each other. Their behaviour is impeccable.

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

Senior managers reflect extremely well on the quality of practice and children's learning. They demonstrate their accountability for staff morale and well-being. Highly effective professional development is maintained to thoroughly support staff knowledge and skills.

This makes an exceptional impact on the quality of teaching and interactions between staff and children. Staff speak very positively about how they are supported in the roles.Staff implement the early years foundation stage curriculum securely.

Staff are very confident to make interventions for any child needing additional support. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make rapid progress in relation to their starting points.Parents praise nursery staff highly.

They state that 'communication is great' and add that staff provide 'the best start to children's lives'. Staff are extremely proactive in how they help parents to understand the curriculum and how to extend learning at home. Excellent strategies mean that children receive high levels of consistency in their care and learning.

Staff are highly encouraging of how they help children to show respect and care for living creatures. Intrigued children help to bath the nursery's giant snail.Proactive staff skilfully extend children's experiences and knowledge, using purposeful interactions so that children are highly engaged and very keen to participate.

Children confidently recall that the snail's shell is hard and she likes to eat plants. They know the snail comes from Africa, where it is hot, and identify that she moves slowly. Children speak sensitively about the need to be careful otherwise the snail may get hurt.

They know that the shell protects her.Older children show mature levels of engagement outdoors, during role-play experiences in the construction area. They use cones, buckets, wheelbarrows, spirit levels, hammers and saws to construct their designs.

Children build a wall out of bricks. They use tape measures to measure and compare lengths and heights. Highly skilled staff enhance what children already know, as they help them make 'cement' indoors using flour and water.

Curious older children solve problems together, working out the correct ratios of water and flour to use. They work out that if it is too 'sticky' the mixture may 'need more water'.Older children demonstrate exceptionally positive attitudes to their learning.

They are extremely confident to offer their views and to speak in small groups. For example, very keen children take part in story time without a book. They are intrigued as the enthusiastic staff member uses puppets and props to help children understand the language of feelings.

Children demonstrate their understanding of being respectful to each other and considerate of how their actions impact on their friends. They show comprehension about 'Mike' who had a birthday and wanted to invite his friends to his party but kept shouting at them. Children explain that Mike's friends 'feel scared' and 'do not want to go'.

Incredibly interested children relate their thoughts and talk about the need to be kind, while using terms and language to promote their exemplary awareness of feelings.Highly affectionate staff respond to the youngest children's needs very well. Children show that they feel safe and secure.

Enthusiastic staff make a tremendous impact on how the youngest children communicate. They give reassurance during singing activities, where children join in, copy actions and play musical instruments to popular rhymes, such as 'Wind the bobbin up'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have an extremely secure understanding of all aspects of safeguarding matters. They are highly competent in their knowledge of typical signs that may indicate abuse and the procedures to follow to protect children. Staff show high levels of confidence responding to scenarios at inspection.

They know what to do if they had a concern about a senior staff member and in regard to the 'Prevent' duty. Staff implement and use the provider's robust risk assessment, policies and procedures to promote children's health, safety and well-being effectively. The manager and deputy follow strong guidelines in regard to recruitment, induction and training of staff to ensure their suitability.