Kings Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children confidently talk to adults and engage them in thoughtful conversations about their next stage in learning.

For example, they eagerly explain how long they have left at nursery before starting school. Children use different ways to communicate with adults, such as using sign language to spell out the first letter of their name. They are happy and interact well together, which shows they feel safe and secure in their surroundings.

All children benefit from a well-planned curriculum. Staff create an exciting and stimulating environment across all areas of learning, to enhance children's progress and help any gaps... in development consistently close. Children maintain their focus and concentration in activities, including younger children.

For instance, they use drainpipes and pour water down the hole. Children are inquisitive as they explore how the water flows down the pipe and onto the floor. They extend their ideas and use their imagination as they put a 'fire' out on the wall.

Children play in the mud kitchen, making cakes and covering them in 'sprinkles'. They behave well and learn about acceptable behaviour. For instance, staff offer children additional resources to encourage them to share and take turns.

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

Parents are very happy with the service the nursery offers. They appreciate the high levels of support staff provide, in particular for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who receive additional funding. Staff work effectively with other professionals, including specialist teachers and speech and language teams, so that children swiftly receive the assistance that they need.

This helps ensure they prepare well for their future success.Leaders make sure that the curriculum is ambitious and sequenced well. They implement the intent of their curriculum efficiently to help build on what children know and can do.

Leaders and staff swiftly identify where children need extra support, such as personal, social and emotional development. They then carefully plan activities to encourage children's social skills and help them manage their behaviour, to address any emerging gaps in learning.Staff build children's independence and resilience successfully.

For example, children balance and walk across a wooden 'bridge' in the garden. Younger children know how to keep themselves safe as they wait for staff to support them. Staff extend younger children's learning by encouraging them to try to walk across on their own.

Staff know children well and pay careful attention to their well-being. For instance, children tell them that they are nervous about going to 'big school'. Staff offer them reassurance and comfort to help alleviate their fears.

Leaders monitor staff's teaching well through observations, to help identify their strengths and areas for development to assist their practice. Leaders check on staff's work-life balance to ensure that their workload is not overly burdensome. However, the arrangements to ensure that staff receive highly focused and effective professional development are not firmly established, to help develop their knowledge and skills even further.

Leaders respond and adapt their provision successfully according to the changing priorities, with particular regard to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. For example, they have kept parents up to date through their social media page and sent learning home for children. They have changed their arrival and departure arrangements for parents to adhere to social distancing guidance.

Children show good hand-to-eye coordination as they pour compost into a container with a spoon, which encourages their physical development. Staff interact with children effectively. They model language well, including for younger children.

They engage with them effectively and provide clear explanations and instructions to help take children's learning further.Staff develop children's mathematical skills successfully. For example, staff talk about 'big and little scoops' and suggest exciting challenges, such as 'lets fill this to the top'.

Staff encourage children's enjoyment of books and reading. They point to the pictures in the story and use different vocabulary, such as 'radishes', 'tomatoes' and 'lettuce'.Children have some opportunities to explore their technology skills further.

However, staff have not fully extended their teaching to help children learn about keeping themselves safe online.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders have robust vetting and recruitment systems to help ensure that staff are suitable for their roles and responsibilities.

For instance, they interview potential candidates, complete suitability checks and seek references. Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding. They know what to do if they have a child protection concern or if an allegation was made against a member of staff.

Staff understand current safeguarding legislation and guidance, such as the 'Prevent' duty. For example, children who may be at risk of female genital mutilation or radicalisation.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance arrangements for a more structured and precise professional development programme, to develop staff's knowledge and skills even further nincrease opportunities for children to learn about technology, including how to stay safe when online.