Littlebrook Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The quality of provision has improved since the last inspection. Leaders and managers support staff through the provision of additional training to plan and adapt the curriculum to meet children's individual learning needs. Children sustain their concentration and persevere at the activities that staff provide, or self-select from the resources available to them.

The nursery is warm and welcoming. Children arrive happily, demonstrating that they feel secure, and warmly greet staff and their peers. They answer questions about their morning routine from staff, who know the children and their families very well.

Staff enc...ourage babies to explore their environment. They reassure them with praise and cuddles. Babies show that they are happy and are beginning to build confidence.

Toddlers engage in a range of play experiences. They enjoy rolling cars and are beginning to say some single words.Children's behaviour is good and they engage in activities that are linked to their likes and interests.

Children confidently approach staff to share what they are doing or to seek recognition from staff. For example, a child is praised for independently building a sandcastle. Children use their initiative to work together, share tools, turn take and produce a wide range of fish, stars and shapes by filling sand moulds and proudly turning them out.

They enjoy the attention and praise that they received for their efforts.

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

Since the last inspection, managers and staff have worked together to reinforce their commitment to provide the highest quality care and education for all children. Staff plan a broad and exciting curriculum that effectively supports all children to make good progress from their assessed starting points.

Children who require additional support or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are swiftly identified. Staff work well with parents and the local authority, putting focused plans in place to ensure that children make progress.Practice to promote independence has improved significantly following the last inspection.

Children prepare for lunch with minimal prompting from staff. They choose where to sit, select cutlery, and self-serve their lunch and dessert. Discussions around the table include the foods that children enjoy, how vegetables are 'good' for you, and what they hope to have for dessert.

Children know what is expected of them. They demonstrate a sense of pride at having personal responsibility for their own needs. However, when children go to the carpet while staff focus on tidying up, children become distracted.

The expectation of choosing and sitting with a book is not made clear to them by staff.Staff implement the curriculum well, overall. Improved planning, with clear next steps for all children's learning, enables staff to provide activities that develop children's interests and build on what they already know.

For example, children's current interest in mark making was linked to how computers are used for 'games' and 'work'. Children watch to see how letters appear on the screen, pointing to and recognising some from their name. Children select paper and pencils and begin to write some letters in their name, and staff model how to grip the pencil to write.

This helps children to make good progress.Young children build strong relationships with staff. They explore the environment by crawling or walking, and receive praise and encouragement for their efforts.

Babies smile and clap in response to songs and rhymes. Toddlers make 'brrm' sounds as they roll cars. However, staff do not consistently support children to extend their vocabulary.

For instance, they do not talk to children about what they are doing as they are playing or extend their language during their play.Parents speak highly of this nursery. They say that communication is regular.

They appreciate knowing what their child is doing each day, as well as knowing about their care routines. Parents very much appreciate the online app, as they receive regular information and pictures. This system also enables them to share their children's home achievements with staff.

The manager shared how she reflected on the previous inspection outcome. She describes how making changes within the nursery and liaising with the local authority to devise a plan to address the actions raised have enhanced practice. Planned induction, regular supervision, team meetings and targeted training to support the curriculum and teaching have had a positive impact.

Staff report how happy and supported they feel in their role, and praise the manager for improved confidence and high morale.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are very clear on the responsibility they have to ensure that children are kept safe from harm.

They know the local safeguarding arrangements and the process they would follow to make a referral if they were concerned about the welfare of a child. Daily health and safety checks are completed to ensure that the building and all equipment are well maintained and suitable for children's use.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop children's understanding of routine tasks and ensure that expectations are made clear to them be more consistent in the delivery of the curriculum for language and communication with younger children.