Ladybirds Educational Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are safe and happy at this warm and inclusive nursery.

Staff spend time with the children and get to know them when they first start. This helps children to settle quickly and build positive bonds with staff. Children play well with their friends and are respectful towards others.

Children enjoy spending time outdoors and learning about the world around them. They search for stones, sticks and different-coloured leaves. Children are fascinated to look at bugs and discuss the different types of insects they might find.

They suggest that snails might not be underneath logs because their 'shells might cr...ack'. Children develop their imaginations while enacting familiar stories. Babies babble with delight while handling books.

They show good small-muscle skills while joining small construction blocks together and exploring the marks that they can make on paper. Staff let babies choose where to play and help them to learn to walk quickly. Toddlers explore their creative skills while using paint and glitter to make 'diva lamps'.

Older children build their hand-eye coordination while cutting paper to make 'candles'. They develop their number skills. For example, children say, 'I am four', and count down from 10 during a game of hide and seek.

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

The provider is resolute in her vision of providing a 'home-from-home' environment that is 'happy, warm and friendly' and where 'all children are loved, valued and respected'. Clear and accurate self-evaluation helps leaders to further improve.Overall, children make good progress and access a curriculum that builds on their prior knowledge.

However, leaders have not planned or sequenced the curriculum with a consistently sharp focus on identifying the precise knowledge and skills that children need to learn and when. This means that staff are not always clear on exactly what children should learn during activities.Staff prioritise the development of children's communication and language.

They share stories and nursery rhymes and model new words. For example, babies repeat the words 'look' and 'hold it' while they play. Staff use vocabulary from children's home languages to help children who speak English as an additional language gain a good grasp of English.

Overall, children are confident and eager to learn. For example, they excitedly ask the inspector to 'come and see' a 'dinosaur footprint' that they find outdoors. However, on occasion, quieter children are less confident to join in with activities, and staff do not always help them to engage fully in their learning.

This means that they do not always make the progress of which they are capable.The nursery serves a diverse community. Staff help children to learn about similarities between themselves and others.

For example, children learn about different cultures and festivals, such as Diwali. They talk about the jobs that they want to have when they are older, such as a police officer.Staff promote children's growing independence.

For example, children help to set the table for lunch and serve themselves healthy meals. Toddlers help to tidy up. Older children benefit from yoga and swimming sessions.

Children are caring. For example, they told the inspector to 'be careful' in the woodland.The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong.

Leaders act quickly and work well with external professionals and parents to get children the support they rightly deserve. This helps children with SEND to make good progress. Leaders carefully consider how additional funding is spent, to have the most impact for the children.

Staff say that the nursery is 'one big family'. Leaders provide them with an effective programme of development and support. For example, recent training helps staff to better understand how to support children with SEND.

Leaders encourage staff to gain further qualifications.Parents report that their children have 'flourished' and that staff 'truly care' and give children 'the best possible start'. They say that their children 'walk in with a spring in their step'.

Parents value the communication about their children's care and learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff complete risk assessments to check that the premises are safe and secure.

Leaders follow robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff receive training in safeguarding and paediatric first aid, and leaders make sure that this training is up to date and understood. Staff understand how to keep children safe and protected from harm.

For example, they know the actions to take if they were to have concerns about children's welfare or a colleague's conduct. Staff understand safeguarding issues, such as 'Prevent' duty and female genital mutilation.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: refine curriculum planning and sequencing, to precisely identify the knowledge and skills that children need to learn and when support staff to consistently help children who are less confident to join in with activities and to engage more fully in their learning.