Ladybird Private Day Nursery, Folly Brook House

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and confident in the nursery and benefit from positive relationships with staff. The COVID-19 pandemic means that some children had limited social experiences, as a result, staff have focused closely on their relationships with children, so that children feel safe and secure in their care.

All children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff spend time getting to know children and teach them the knowledge they need to learn next.Children behave well.

Staff have high expectations of children and provide clear boundaries. For example, staff know when particular behaviours might occu...r and distract children based on what they know interests them. Children share with their friends and work together taking turns.

For instance, children wait patiently for their turn to blow bubbles, which they are excited to do. Children receive a consistent approach between home and nursery, as staff gather information about children's experiences at home and use this to extend their learning in nursery. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in their learning and development.

Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure they are catering for the individual requirements of each child.

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

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the setting. They use this information well to improve the quality of the nursery.

For example, leaders introduced 'making memories' sheets, which gather information about what children do at home, so that these experiences can be shared and developed with their key person.Leaders regularly evaluate staff practice and identify training to improve their knowledge and skills. For instance, staff recently completed training to improve their interactions with children.

Consequently, they spend more quality time getting to know children's likes, dislikes and developmental levels. This helps them to understand children's individual needs and interests more clearly.Staff think carefully about children's next stages of learning and how they can support their development.

This enables children to develop new skills. However, there are occasions when staff do not extend children's understanding by giving full explanations to children about how things work in particular ways and why. Therefore, opportunities for children to extend their thinking skills are not fully maximised.

Children demonstrate good physical skills. They are able to competently turn pages in books and have mastered the skills of jumping up and down. Children strengthen their small finger muscles as they draw, with increasing detail, pictures that represent their own ideas.

Staff use images of real flowers and talk about bees and pollen to support children in enhancing the details in their pictures.Children are learning about mathematics in a number of adult-led activities, such as counting ladybirds on the wall when they walk up the stairs. However, there are too few opportunities for children to consolidate their learning and mathematical skills independently, through their freely-chosen and child-led play.

Children demonstrate growing levels of independence because staff create opportunities that encourage them to do things for themselves. For example, children select their own fruit and pour their own drinks. This helps children acquire some of the skills they need for their next stage of learning.

The strong key-person system means staff understand the uniqueness of the children they care for. Children develop a good sense of belonging as staff create family trees and talk with children about who is in their family. Staff listen attentively and tune into children's body language and facial expressions which supports children to develop their self-esteem and a positive attitude to learning.

Staff use lots of new words when engaging in play. For example, staff talk with children about them 'scooping' the materials they are playing with and 'rubbing' the instruments, which develops the range of vocabulary that children use.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff understand the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what to do if they are concerned about a child. This helps to reduce potential risks posed to children. Staff attend safeguarding training which helps to keep their knowledge up to date.

For example, they undertake 'Prevent' duty training, which enhances their understanding of radicalisation. Robust recruitment arrangements ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's skills in promoting children's thinking skills to an even higher level nenhance the curriculum for children to engage in child-led mathematics experiences, so that they can consolidate new learning.