Lemon Tree Manchester Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are greeted warmly by staff. Staff are reassuring and attentive to children's needs. They ensure that children feel a strong sense of belonging in the nursery by, for example, working hard to develop trusting relationships with children and parents.

This helps children to build close bonds with staff. Children quickly develop the confidence they need to explore and learn. Children's independence skills are supported well within the nursery.

Children can select from a variety of inviting activities that inspire them to have a go. Children respond to instructions, such as helping to tidy up before lunch and usin...g the 'cleaning station' to help to clean tables after eating. They are encouraged to wash their hands and wipe their own noses.

They demonstrate good levels of confidence at this nursery and behave well.Practitioners provide a curriculum that focuses on the next stage of the children's learning and celebrates each child's individual culture and ethnicity. Children play happily and show high levels of concentration.

Practitioners focus on literacy with older children, with activities including a letter of the week and developing pencil control. This helps them to be confident when the time comes to transition to school. Children thoroughly enjoy their outdoor play in the garden areas.

They are encouraged to use the pedals on tricycles and negotiate space by steering. This helps to develop children's physical skills.

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

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is well sequenced.

Staff understand how children learn and differentiate the learning to meet the needs of all children. They know the stages of development that children are at and what they want them to learn next. Children make good progress from their starting points.

Staff provide effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children who speak English as an additional language are also supported well. Between them, staff speak several languages.

These skills help staff to support children in their learning and help children to catch up quickly with their peers when there are gaps in their learning.Staff use books successfully to promote a range of areas of learning. For example, staff provide the props to help children to express their imaginations and recall skills to re-enact the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.

They use opportunities to enhance children's understanding of mathematical concepts. They use mathematical language, such as 'bigger 'and 'smaller'. This supports children's mathematical and literacy development.

Staff support children's developing communication and language skills well. They speak clearly and model good language. Children listen intently as staff read them stories.

Staff's enthusiasm captures the children's attention. However, occasionally, when staff ask questions, they move on too quickly, giving instructions before children can respond. As a result, on some occasions, children do not understand what is expected of them.

The setting has a very good understanding of diversity in the local community. Staff encourage children to explore Islamic traditions within the setting, including 'Salah' prayer time. Children follow a series of songs and actions which encourage them to pray.

They use a mixture of English and traditional rhymes to support this. As a result, children build a sense of identity, and they also learn about other faiths and beliefs.Leaders follow local recommendations on key issues within the community, such as on oral health and the importance of physical exercise.

They have introduced exercise times and have developed their outdoor area. This ensures that children have experiences they may not have at home, such as riding bicycles. They share information with parents about the importance of being registered with a dentist and support them to access these services.

This supports families well and helps to raise outcomes for children.Staff speak positively about the support that they receive from leaders. Team meetings allow staff to share information about children.

Leaders provide supervision meetings for staff. However, they do not always focus on identifying areas for individual staff's professional development. This means that staff are not consistently supported to improve their practice further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. The premises are safe and secure.

Staff undertake outdoor checks before children play in the garden. They know the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff complete mandatory safeguarding training, and they regularly update safeguarding knowledge at staff meetings.

Staff are well deployed and supervise children at all times. The nominated individual follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of staff and takes steps to assess their ongoing suitability.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop supervision meetings to support staff to develop their understanding of the curriculum build on staff's questioning techniques to allow children time to think and respond to any instructions.

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