Little Pumpkins Nursery Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this small, well-established nursery. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They follow daily routines exceptionally well, creating a calm and productive atmosphere.

Children independently and willingly share and take turns with others. They build secure relationships with staff, who give lots of praise for their efforts and achievements. Babies show strong bonds with staff and enjoy lots of cuddles, which helps them feel safe and secure.

Children are keen and eager to learn. They show strong friendships as they play happily together and listen intently to each other speaking. Staff's strong focu...s on promoting children's personal, social and emotional development ensures that they are well equipped for their future learning, including school.

Children benefit from an excellent curriculum that successfully promotes all areas of learning. Staff identify children's individual learning needs exceptionally well, including children who have additional needs. Precise and targeted planning, along with successful engagement with parents, ensures that children's learning at home and at nursery is cohesive.

As a result, all children make the best progress in their learning and development from their starting points.

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

The provider is dedicated and passionate about providing high-quality provision where all children thrive. This ambitious vision is shared by the conscientious staff team members who work collaboratively to promote the best outcomes for children.

The provider and new manager have an excellent overview of the setting, ensuring that the well-being of children and staff is promoted effectively.Staff feel exceptionally well supported by the provider and manager. The provider demonstrates a strong commitment to enabling staff to gain qualifications and skills so that they can fulfil their roles effectively and continuously improve their practice.

This is evident in the consistently high-quality teaching in all group rooms.Babies excitedly participate in the well-planned and regular cooking activities. They take turns to wash their hands and become engrossed as they fully explore using their senses.

They show delight as they feel the flour and warm water while making bread. They take turns exceptionally well to mix the dough and smell the yeast. Staff successfully extend children's vocabulary as they introduce new words and give contextual meaning to consolidate children's learning.

For example, they talk about how the water to make the bread is warm like the water in their bath at home.Staff provide well-sequenced activities that help consolidate children's learning effectively. For example, after toddlers make their own Easter chicks and decorations, they watch a short video about real chickens with staff.

They talk about the different colours of the chicken and rooster and enthusiastically repeat the sounds they make. They sing songs about animals and keenly join in with the actions.Older children play imaginatively making potions with water, mud and leaves.

They confidently express their thoughts and feelings about what they are making. They pick herbs from the garden and offer them to other children to smell. They discuss how the rosemary smells like pine and smells stronger when you squeeze it.

Staff successfully extend children's learning further as they encourage them to look closely and talk about the shapes, sizes and colours of the leaves and petals they are adding to their potions. Children become fully engrossed, thoroughly enjoying their game.Children enjoy a nutritious diet during relaxed and sociable mealtimes.

Staff engage children in meaningful conversations about healthy eating. Toddlers talk about how they brush their teeth. Older children keenly tell staff that if they eat lots of sweet foods, they will get cavities in their teeth and will need to go to the dentist.

Children confidently identify foods that are not good for them as well as the different foods they like that are good for them, including fresh fruits.Parents say their children are happy and that staff are amazing. They praise the high levels of communication with staff, who tell them about their children's progress and well-being during daily feedback and on the app.

Parents explain that they value the advice and support given by staff, especially regarding diets and weaning. Parents appreciate how staff ask them about languages they use at home and use key words with their children to further support their communication skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities. The manager implements excellent systems to ensure that staff's safeguarding knowledge is kept up to date. Staff attend relevant training and know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare or if an allegation is raised against staff.

Vetting and recruitment is robust to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Ongoing regular staff supervision enables staff to discuss any concerns about their key children and review their own well-being with the manager. Staff implement effective risk assessments to ensure that the premises and equipment are safe and well maintained.