Little Tots Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Parents say that they like the atmosphere in the nursery. Children are happy and show good relationships with staff and other children. They show determination when they complete tasks.

For example, when children attempt to attach a star to the top of a Christmas tree, it falls down. Staff encourage them to keep trying. Children show a positive attitude and persevere until the star stays in place.

They have unique opportunities to care for and feed the nursery's pet rabbits, 'Roo' and 'Thumper'. This helps children to learn to respect living things. Staff have high expectations of children's learning.

They sup...port children who speak English as an additional language very well. Staff use pictures, gestures and words in children's home language to communicate with them. They encourage children to learn to speak English.

Staff use interpreters to communicate with parents who speak English as an additional language. This promotes inclusive practice. Children learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, staff ask them to be 'safety spies' before they play in the garden. Children check the environment to make sure that it is safe for them to play.

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

Staff use the curriculum to enhance experiences and opportunities for children, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

They ensure that children have daily opportunities for physical play. Staff take children for walks to the library and museum and to post letters. This helps children to learn about their local community.

The provider and manager support staff's well-being effectively. For example, they help staff to manage their workload. Staff say that they feel supported by the management team.

Staff actively promote positive behaviour. They give children plenty of praise and encouragement. Staff encourage children to use good manners.

For example, they remind older children to say 'excuse me' when they want to sit in between their friends. Staff talk to children about the rules and boundaries in the nursery. Children demonstrate a good understanding of these and say that they need to use 'nice words' when they speak to their friends.

Children behave well and know what is expected of them.Staff find out information from parents about their children's prior learning and abilities when they first start. This, along with their own observations and assessments, helps staff to plan for what children need to learn next.

Children make good progress from their starting points in learning.Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about the world. Children hang baubles on a Christmas tree and sing Christmas songs.

Staff read stories to children that include French words. This helps children to develop their understanding of traditions and different languages.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well.

They work closely with other professionals to provide a targeted plan to support children's individual needs.Staff encourage older children to develop their literacy skills. For example, they help them to recognise sounds that represent letters of the alphabet, particularly those that are in their name.

This helps children to learn skills in preparation for their move on to school.Staff find out from parents about children's care routines. This helps them to provide a sensitive approach to supporting children's emotional well-being.

For example, staff know how to soothe children if they become upset. This is particularly effective for babies and very young children.Staff support children's mathematical skills.

For example, they ask children to count how many bricks they use to build a tower. Children count to five. This helps them to develop their knowledge of numbers and counting.

However, staff do not consistently recognise when older children need to be challenged in their learning, to help raise outcomes for them even higher.Staff encourage children to be independent. Children wash their hands and serve themselves fruit at snack time.

They put on their coats to play outdoors.The programme for the professional development of staff does not focus robustly on raising the quality of teaching to an outstanding level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff gather information about children's medical and dietary needs when they first start. This helps them to meet children's good health. The manager provides staff with information about how to cut up fruit safely to help avoid children choking.

This helps to promote children's safety. Members of the management team use robust recruitment procedures to make sure that staff are suitable in their roles. They know to work with other agencies to promote children's safety.

The manager and staff attend child protection training. They have a good knowledge of the signs of abuse, including wider safeguarding issues, such as children being at risk of extreme views and ideas.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen teaching skills to consistently recognise when older children need to be challenged in their learning build further on staff's professional development to help raise the quality of teaching to the highest level.