Kids In Bloom @ Prescot

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show that they feel happy and secure at this friendly nursery. For example, they smile as they greet visitors and invite them to join in with their activities. Staff have high expectations for children.

They plan stimulating activities that ignite children's interest in learning. For example, staff encourage children to observe what happens to apples when they leave them in the 'curiosity cube'. Children tell staff that the mouldy apple looks 'furry'.

Children have frequent opportunities to be active and learn outdoors. For instance, as children excitedly jump in puddles, staff introduce words such as 'deep' a...nd 'shallow'. This helps children to extend their range of vocabulary.

Children enjoy participating in organised activities in local woodland. This helps children to learn how to manage their own risks, for example when using tools. Staff encourage children to solve their own problems, such as how to remove sticky substances from their hands.

Staff are positive role models. This supports children to behave well. For instance, children share resources, such as sand, without prompting.

Feedback from parents is positive. They state that staff know children well and regularly share information about children's development. However, staff do not consistently provide ideas to help parents to support children's next steps in learning.

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

Children have good opportunities to develop their early literacy skills. For example, as children enjoy pretending to be doctors, they write down what happened to 'Miss Polly's doll'. Staff are passionate about helping children to develop a love of books.

They frequently share stories with children and ensure children have access to relevant books in all areas of the nursery. Staff support children to gain good levels of listening and attention. For example, they use quiet voices as they describe the contents of a 'sounds box'.

Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop their early mathematical skills. For instance, they encourage younger children to count as they scoop sand into cups. Staff challenge older children to place numbered cups in the correct order.

This helps them to build on their existing knowledge. Children giggle as they work together to measure the height of staff. They make simple comparisons as they discuss who is the tallest.

Staff support children to embrace and celebrate difference in others extremely well. For instance, children enjoy visiting elderly residents at the local care home, where they join in with shared activities. Children listen with genuine interest as they learn about how other children celebrate Christmas in their homelands.

Children have opportunities to mix with adults who have additional needs when they visit the local urban farm project. Children learn simple sign language to help them to communicate with friends who have language difficulties.Staff value the importance of supporting children to explore and talk about feelings.

For example, when children notice their friends are sad, they discuss how they can make them happy. Older children show kindness, for instance helping younger children with more difficult tasks, such as putting on gloves.Arrangements for monitoring children's progress are effective.

Staff swiftly identify areas where children are at risk of falling behind. They work in partnership with others to put appropriate measures in place. This helps children to catch up and make good progress from their own starting points.

Children show good levels of independence. For example, they attend to their own personal needs, such as wiping noses. Children put on their own coats and persevere as they try to fasten the zips.

Managers talk passionately about continuing to raise the quality of the provision to the highest level. They reflect on all areas of the nursery and make positive changes. For example, they have recently reorganised the refreshment station.

Staff comment that they have observed an increase in children accessing fresh fruit and water throughout the session.Overall, relationships with parents are good. Staff use different strategies to encourage parents to become involved in children's learning, such as attending stay-and-play sessions.

However, staff do not focus sharply enough on helping parents to support children's individual next steps in learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The management team ensures that staff receive regular training in all aspects of safeguarding.

As a result, staff have a secure knowledge of how to keep children safe. They confidently describe the local procedures to follow if they are concerned about children's well-being or safety. Staff know families well and are alert to the day-to-day struggles that some of them face.

They closely monitor children's attendance and follow up absences. Robust policies and procedures ensure that children can explore and learn in a safe environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus more precisely on helping parents to support children to achieve their individual next steps in learning.

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