Little Angels

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff enthusiastically greet children on arrival and children happily separate from parents. Different-themed rooms are inviting with well-thought-out activities that help children settle in engaging with their friends and playing together.

Children, including babies, participate in mixing colours with paintbrushes and compare mixed-paint colours to the colours of the autumn leaves. Children enjoy exploring sensory materials, textures and smells, such as cinnamon in the sand tray. Throughout the nursery children are happy, settled and confident.

Children are developing self-care skills and independence as they put on t...heir own coats and wellies for outdoor play. The spacious outside play area allows children to take risks in their own play, such as balancing across the large bridge and jumping off. Children negotiate space well when playing chasing games with other children as they giggle and laugh.

This promotes their physical development. Staff support babies in their personal development as they learn to share and take turns sensitively. Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop an understanding of their local community.

For example, children collect food for a community food bank and do enjoyable activities for different charity events. Staff work in partnerships with parents and other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

The manager is committed to her role and vision, which is shared and embedded across the nursery.

She values her staff and encourages their professional development, ensuring that staff continuously develop their skills. Staff's well-being is fostered very well. Staff speak highly of the manager and her continuous support.

This has a positive impact on the education and care provided to children. However, the arrangements for the supervision of staff are not yet sufficiently focused on addressing any inconsistencies in teaching.The manager consults with staff, parents and children as part of her self-evaluation.

They use this information to identify what can be improved. For example, a recent consultation identified that the garden needed additional resources. As a result, new equipment, such as scooters and bicycles, was purchased to further enhance children's physical development.

Staff's commitment to working in partnership with parents is embedded throughout the nursery. Staff provide parents with regular updates about children's interests and learning so they can support them at home. Parents are extremely complimentary of the nursery and comment on how secure and happy their children are.

Parents feel that they are well informed and involved in their children's learning and development. Staff provide a book bag for parents to take home to read with their children. This helps with children's early literacy skills.

However, staff do not regularly provide opportunities for children to explore and enjoy stories and books at nursery.The manager supports children with SEND well. She works well with parents and professionals to provide children with targeted support.

This helps children to catch up with their peers.Children and young babies form strong attachments with staff. Staff are kind and nurturing, and help children to develop good levels of self-confidence and enjoyment of learning.

Children behave well, feel safe and are becoming well prepared for the next stage of their learning.Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. They deliver a range of varied activities that are stimulating and enhance children's learning.

Staff introduce large magnets and children happily build a house and a spaceship. Children name the different shapes and colours, working out how many squares, triangles and rectangles they need. This supports children's early mathematical skills well.

Staff praise children for their achievement.Children relish their time in the newly organised role-play area. They feed the babies and take them to the baby clinic as baby is not feeling well.

Children explore the stethoscope on each other and decide that they need to make an appointment to see the doctor. This supports children's imagination and creative thinking.Staff place importance on children's understanding of leading a healthy lifestyle.

Children learn to wash their hands independently before snacks and lunch.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a robust understanding of the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare.

Staff confidently describe the action they would take if they had concerns regarding a colleague's practice. The manager and staff ensure that their knowledge is up to date by completing online safeguarding training. They understand current legislation and guidance, such as the 'Prevent' duty guidance.

Children are reminded of the importance of considering their own and each other's safety when playing outdoors. Regular risk assessments are carried out to ensure that is it is a safe place for children to play.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop supervisory meetings further to ensure all staff receive targeted professional development, with a focus on raising the quality of teaching to the highest level build on the opportunities for children to develop their early literacy skills by extending their imagination, creativity and love for stories.