Little Willows Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enter the nursery happily and settle quickly on arrival. They have strong emotional attachments with the caring staff, who cuddle and comfort them when needed. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Children show a positive attitude to their learning. They actively engage in a wide range of learning opportunities. Children show high levels of concentration as they engage in the activities.

For example, during singing time, babies and toddlers participate using actions, joining in or choosing the next song. This supports children's language development and listening skills.Children behave well and are sup...ported effectively to begin to understand expectations and boundaries.

Staff support children well to identify how they feel and what could help them to feel better. They constantly praise children for showing respect. For example, older children will stop and check younger children if they have fallen in the garden.

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

Staff plan a wide range of activities in each room to cover all seven areas of learning. For example, during a creative activity of making 'rockets', older children have opportunities to develop their numeracy skills, hand-to-eye coordination while cutting, and early reading knowledge. This is further extended in their outdoor provision and revisited by children during free play as they draw rockets on the wall and talk to staff excitedly about their creations.

Children benefit from a good range of activities to support their physical development. They choose when they play outside. All ages explore the main garden together.

Young children use the climbing frame, pulling themselves up and balancing across the bridge using their whole bodies. Older children will wait patiently for the younger children before having a go. Pre-school children use equipment to create games and run freely in the open areas of the garden, carefully negotiating their space with peers.

Overall, staff support children in developing healthy lifestyles. They encourage healthy eating with fresh fruits and vegetables and discuss these with the children. Staff promote all children to wash hands before snack and mealtimes.

However, on occasion, staff do not help children learn how to manage their personal hygiene well, such as during nappy changing routines or when children cough and sneeze, leaving them to wipe their nose on their sleeve.The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is passionate about her role. She has completed relevant training to enable her to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively.

The SENCo liaises very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that each child receives the support they need.The manager has a clear vision for the nursery that she shares with her team to ensure the best support, care and education are offered to children. She is a good role model and works hard to help staff to be the best they can be and to enable them to deliver the curriculum in the most effective manner.

The manager is aware that currently there are low numbers of qualified staff. However, she demonstrates clear actions and support to ensure this has no impact on children's care or learning. For example, checks are made throughout the day to ensure staff deployment is effective.

The qualified staff within rooms have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and demonstrate this well, along with the manager working in rooms to support if needed.Partnerships with parents are good. Staff share information with parents in a number of ways, for example through daily verbal discussions and by sharing photos and updates on an online learning app.

Parents express that staff know their children well and are kind and nurturing.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure knowledge of the nursery's safeguarding procedures.

They know what they must do should they have a concern about a child's welfare or regarding a member of staff. They keep their child protection knowledge up to date through various training methods. Staff complete daily risk assessments of the premises to promote a safe and secure environment for children to play.

Children are closely supervised by staff, such as when babies are sleeping. Staff deploy themselves well to support the needs of the children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff practice further to support children across the nursery in managing all aspects of their personal hygiene well.