Little Folks Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy and enjoy their time at this nursery. Staff are warm and friendly, which helps children to feel emotionally secure.

New children settle quickly. Staff provide gentle reminders about behavioural expectations during activities. This helps children to learn what is expected of them.

Children behave well, take turns with resources and play together cooperatively. Staff support children to develop physical skills. Younger children have fun climbing and playing on soft-play equipment.

Older children learn to pedal tricycles. They are beginning to learn about road safety as they identify which coloure...d traffic lights they need for their tricycle to stop and go. Staff promote children's understanding of colour further as they encourage children to sort different coloured buttons into containers.

Children amuse themselves with the activities on offer and staff join them as they play. However, any learning children engage in is too incidental. Not enough consideration is given by staff to what children need to learn and why.

Although children make some progress in their development, they do not benefit from focused planning and teaching to help them make the progress they are capable of.

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

Some positive changes have been made since the last inspection. Leaders and staff are committed to improving outcomes for children.

They review staff practice and act on advice from local authority advisers. As a result, the overall quality of the provision is rising. However, the curriculum is still not focused enough to fully enhance children's learning and development.

Leaders do not ensure that staff benefit from the targeted support they need to fully embed a successful educational programme for children.Staff generally get to know children. They make some observations and assessments of children's learning.

However, they do not consistently use this information to identify and plan for what children need to learn next. Staff plan too broadly. They consider activities based on the age range of children attending but do not place enough focus on what individual children need to learn.

Some activities are too complex for the children present. For example, staff encourage children to try and write letters before they have acquired sufficient pre-writing skills.Children develop some skills to help prepare them for the next stage of their education.

Staff support them to maintain focus and attention. Children sit and listen to stories. They answer questions and point at pictures in books.

Children develop their small-muscle skills. Staff encourage them to roll, cut and manipulate dough.Staff provide activities children enjoy.

They are aware of children's interest in vehicles. Younger children roll cars back and forth with adults. They babble happily and explore toys freely.

However, although children generally occupy themselves, they do not benefit from sufficiently stimulating activities to help them to learn what they need to. Staff interactions with children are not skilled enough to fully extend their learning.Children gain some understanding about how to lead healthy lifestyles.

For example, staff remind them to wash their hands before eating. Children enjoy healthy meals and snacks. Children benefit from plenty of exercise and fresh air.

They have daily opportunities to play outside in all weather conditions.Staff have a general understanding about the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work with other professionals to establish next steps.

Children form close bonds with staff, who are affectionate and caring with them. However, although staff are aware of children's next steps, they do not interact or plan sufficiently to help children achieve them.Parents comment that their children enjoy attending nursery.

Staff share some general information about their child's day. For example, they speak to parents at the end of the session, or parents can access an electronic app. However, staff do not always share or obtain sufficient information to establish a fully collaborative approach to children's learning and development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date increase leadership oversight and support for staff to implement an ambitious curriculum for all children, to help them to make at least good progress in learning 08/11/2024 use observations and assessments effectively to identify and plan for children's next steps in learning 08/11/2024 increase support for staff to raise the quality of teaching to focus on what children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, need to learn next 08/11/2024 improve parent partnership to establish a more consistent approach to care and learning.

08/11/2024