Little Walkers Day Nursery Coseley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy, confident and enjoy the time they spend in this welcoming environment. They take part in a range of activities that are specifically planned to meet their individual interests and next steps for learning.

All children forge close relationships with staff and demonstrate that they feel secure and settled. Babies who are unsure or upset actively seek out staff for a reassuring cuddle. Children's behaviour is good.

They play happily alongside their friends as they initiate conversations and share resources with them. Children enjoy outdoor play in the newly renovated garden area, which is now used as a...n extension to indoor play. They develop their physical skills as they balance on crates and walk on stilts.

They confidently climb on larger apparatus and squeal with delight as they slide down. Children enjoy messy play as they explore the mud kitchen and dig and plant vegetables in the growing area. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well.

Staff use gestures and model simple words, encouraging children to repeat them. Overall, children make good progress in their learning from their initial starting points. They are supported well during transitions and gain the skills they need for the next stage of their learning, including the move on to school.

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

Managers and staff have worked hard to implement changes since the previous inspection. They have liaised with the local authority and acted on their advice to ensure that extensive improvements have been made. Staff have attended training to further their knowledge.

They share their newfound expertise with each other so that it benefits all staff and has a positive impact on the quality of care and learning for children. That said, changes still need to be fully embedded into practice to ensure that the quality continues to improve.Staff well-being is given high priority.

The staff wellness champion is responsible for looking after staff and raising staff morale. She checks how staff are feeling every day and sets a wellness challenge of the month, such as a hydration challenge and cutting screen time before bed. Staff say that they feel well supported and have noticed a positive change since the last inspection.

Managers monitor staff practice. They carry out a learning walk around the nursery every day to make sure that activities for children are purposeful and meet children's individual learning needs. They ask staff questions to check their knowledge and to encourage them to reflect on their practice.

Staff benefit from supervision and staff meetings, where they can share ideas and discuss any concerns.Children take part in a range of activities that sustain their interest. Toddlers have great fun as they explore dry cocoa powder.

They add water to it to represent the rain and mix it with their hands until it turns to 'mud'. They pretend that they are on a bear hunt and use their hands to 'squelch' through the mud to find the bear.Older children use scissors to cut up flowers to make a card.

They talk about the petals and compare which ones are bigger or smaller. They carefully use glue to stick the flowers onto paper and are proud of their achievements. Occasionally, staff do not fully extend on children's learning experiences.

In addition, they are too quick to provide children with the answers to questions instead of allowing them time to think and respond for themselves.Children learn to regulate their own behaviour using a specially designed self-regulation area. They use mirrors, pictures of emotions, and emotion spoons to share with staff and their friends how they are feeling.

Children's communication and language are supported well. Staff use books and stories to encourage children to interact and express what they know. Baby-room staff introduce single words for children to repeat.

Older children hear new words and introduce them into their play. There is a strong focus on early literacy throughout the nursery. Children access play dough every day to encourage muscle development in preparation for early mark making.

Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff have introduced a home learning hub to provide parents with age-appropriate ideas, activities and books to enable them to support children's continued learning at home. Parents are pleased with the level of communication they receive and with the improvements that have been made.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Since the last inspection, all staff have attended safeguarding training to update their knowledge. They are fully aware of the types of abuse and the signs to look for that may indicate that a child is being abused.

They know the procedures to follow and who to contact if they have concerns about a child or a member of staff. Recruitment procedures are robust, and all staff are checked to ensure they are safe and suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nembed the changes that have been implemented to ensure that the quality of care and learning continues to improve provide support for staff to help them to understand how to fully extend activities give children time to respond to questions and think of ideas for themselves.