King Edward Road Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle quickly into nursery life. They benefit from an effective key-person system. Familiar staff know children well and plan a curriculum that meets their interests and next steps in learning successfully.

Children make secure bonds and feel safe. When the youngest children accurately identify that a cow goes 'moo' and find the corresponding farm animal, they receive praise and encouragement. This helps children develop high levels of self-esteem.

Staff adapt the curriculum well to provide opportunities for quieter times that meet children's individual needs. For example, older children enjoy sharing the sen...sory cards with staff who know them well and can help them make connections, building on their knowledge. Staff give children clear instructions, and children engage happily in tidying away.

They persevere and solve problems when the cards do not fit in the box.Staff design a well-thought-out environment to encourage children's independent explorations. For example, toddlers investigate the sand with confidence.

They play imaginatively, digging and patting the sand to hide their train. They excitedly share their achievements, for example the new patterns they have made with the spade. Children are fully engaged in their learning.

Older children design well together with large construction blocks. They listen to each other's ideas and create ramps for their cars. They consider what to do if the wind blows the ramps down.

Staff question children well and provide prompts to help them resolve minor dilemmas.

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

The curriculum is well designed and offers children a good balance of experiences across all areas of learning. The curriculum carefully considers those who need additional support, and all children make good progress from their starting points.

There is good partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure staff consistently meet and support children's developmental and care needs.The senior managers have good oversight of what works well in the nursery. They evaluate practice consistently and establish accurate improvement plans to improve outcomes for children.

There is good support for staff in their professional development. Staff are clear on their roles and responsibilities. They receive effective coaching and guidance, especially to improve the quality of their interactions with children.

For example, staff working with young children challenge the most able children effectively to recall and repeat familiar phrases in stories, giving them the confidence to share their knowledge.Staff use books well within their curriculum. They entice young children to think about what makes them scared, such as 'stomping elephants'.

Children engage well and listen attentively. Staff question them well and children think of solutions for when they are scared, such as holding hands or telling their parent. Older children enjoy sharing 'The Colour Monster' book as they learn about emotions.

They confidently make faces to represent each emotion and receive praise for their attempts.Overall, children behave well and are kind to each other, for example holding their friend's hand to help them outside. However, staff do not always consider how to encourage older children to remain focused in group activities and to understand behavioural expectations to avoid unnecessary disruptions.

As yet, staff do not consistently use the tools available to them, such as visual timelines and other non-verbal strategies.Children are familiar with routines. The youngest children know when it is time to share the song bag and understand they sit together and listen.

They enjoy selecting objects from the bag, making choices for themselves. They engage well, initially. Children enjoy taking turns to take the duck pictures from the board.

Staff model language well, commentating on children's actions and encouraging them to count how many ducks remain. However, staff do not consider the length of activities, and children sit for too long, losing interest in the story that follows.There are robust arrangements to ensure staff are suitable for their role and receive effective induction training.

Staff understand and implement policies and procedures that keep children safe, such as the safe collection of children and effective monitoring of children's attendance. Staff use effective risk assessments so the children remain safe and closely supervised. They help children to understand what keeps them safe, such as the importance of wearing sun cream and sun hats.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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 group times to ensure children remain engaged in their learning support staff further to embed the nursery's strategies to support children's communication and language skills even further and for older children to understand behavioural expectations.