Ladybirds Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The friendly and caring staff team create a welcoming environment. Children arrive happy and eager to play with the variety of interesting activities available in their rooms.

The setting remained open during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic for vulnerable children and children of key workers to attend, and provided care for children from other settings in addition to their own. Staff recognise that children, in particular babies, have spent limited time away from their parents and some children have had prolonged absences from the nursery due to the pandemic. Staff sensitively provide additional support to help children of ...all ages settle.

They focus on getting to know the child and their family and build warm trusting relationships. This has a positive impact on children's well-being and emotional development.Children learn about healthy lifestyles.

They use the exciting well-resourced outdoor areas each day. Staff encourage children to make healthy food choices. Children behave very well.

Staff have high expectations for all children. They provide an inclusive learning environment and work effectively as a team to ensure all children reach their full potential. Children follow clear instructions and understand what is expected of them.

Children play harmoniously together and demonstrate good manners. Staff enthusiastically praise children for their efforts and achievements, which encourages them to keep trying and builds their self-esteem.

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

Since the last inspection, improvements have been made and embedded in practice.

The owner has worked with management and others to support staff to develop their teaching skills further. Staff attend regular training and they confidently review and reflect on their practice. As a result, children are making good, and often very good, progress.

Children with additional needs are very well supported. Staff liaise with specialists and parents about learning plans. Staff make appropriate adaptations to activities and resources.

Children receive continuous support and guidance. This enables every child to take part and enjoy their time at the setting.Babies receive very good care from attentive staff.

Staff take account of each child's needs and of their different stages of development. Babies enjoy exciting sensory play as they explore different textures, such as foam and jelly. Babies happily accompany the staff's singing by shaking and banging musical instruments.

Staff enthusiastically chat about what is happening. This helps to build babies early communication skills.Staff nurture toddler's enthusiasm and desire to learn by engaging them in well-planned activities and experiences.

Staff place a strong focus on developing toddlers personal, social and emotional skills. They support them to manage their emotions, express their needs appropriately and respond emphatically to others. For example, children are keen to climb up and jump down from the soft play step and to throw a bean bag into a hoop.

Staff help them to wait their turn and praise their success.Staff provide a curriculum for pre-school children to support and strengthen their learning and development. There is a strong focus to develop communication and language skills.

Staff present information clearly and promote conversations effectively. As a result, children talk confidently about their experiences and ask questions to find out more about their own interests. Children develop the key skills and attitudes they need to be ready for school.

Staff know the children well and complete assessments effectively to identify what they need to learn next. They implement children's next steps into activities. However, occasionally, staff do not adapt their teaching approach.

For example, older children do not receive consistent support to help them to acquire the skills for the various stages of pencil grasp development.Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment on the positive relationships they have with staff.

The setting has recently introduced an online system to record observations, assess children's progress and share each child's learning journey with parents. This style of communication has replaced previous paperwork methods. Staff confidently use the system and provide support to parents to upload the online app.

However, not all parents have become fully engaged with the system. As a result, staff do not know if parents are familiar with what their child has learned at the setting and how to support them at home to develop further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular training to keep their knowledge up to date. They are familiar with the procedures for reporting any signs of abuse or neglect, including those relating to wider safeguarding issues. Discussions about the policies and procedures, as well as considering different safeguarding scenarios during meetings, help staff to be confident about their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe and how to promote children's welfare.

Thorough procedures and checks are in place for the recruitment of suitable staff. Effective risk assessments ensure children play in a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: further develop the curriculum to ensure children receive consistent support to help them to acquire the skills for the various stages of pencil grasp development consider how to encourage all parents' engagement with the online system to ensure they are familiar with what their child has learned at the setting and how to support them at home to develop further.