London Borough of Hillingdon, Nestles Avenue Children’s Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff offer a welcoming and inclusive learning environment where children feel safe and secure. Children settle readily and eagerly explore their environment. They demonstrate a high level of curiosity and develop a very good sense of belonging.

Overall, children's behaviour is excellent. Staff know children well and attend to their learning needs effectively. Children make good progress in relation to their individual starting points and capabilities.

Children who speak English as an additional language or with special educational needs and/or disabilities equally learn well. Staff help to prepare children well for th...e next stages of their learning, including starting school. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and play together in harmony.

For example, younger children love to explore pop-up toys and to find out how things work. Older children keenly explore a good range of resources. They mix the different-coloured paints and observe how colours change when they mix.

Staff sing with the children and introduce new songs to them. They help children access activities, for example to sort and match simple objects correctly. However, they do not always provide a higher level of challenge to support and extend children's mathematical skills and how they can solve problems independently.

Staff invite parents to share skills and events with the children. This helps children to learn about different people and to be tolerant of others.

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

Staff gain relevant information from parents about what their children know, can do and understand.

They use such information along with their observations to plan a stimulating educational programme that motivates children to learn. Staff play with the children and show them how to use certain tools with care.Children use their imagination well as they play.

For example, younger children can roll, pat and cut play dough into different shapes. Older children keenly create colourful models and decorate them with glitter. Children are very confident to show their work to staff, who praise them for their good efforts.

Staff help children to learn new knowledge, for example by reading stories. They encourage them to take books home to share with their families. Occasionally, staff miss the opportunity to fully extend children's mathematical skills and ability to solve problems.

Staff are excellent role models for the children. For example, they talk to children in a calm manner and remind them that 'sharing is caring'. Children quickly learn to follow the rules and codes of behaviour that help them to keep safe.

Children learn to share toys fairly and to respect the space of their friends as they play. They display very positive attitudes to learning.Staff provide excellent opportunities to help children develop healthy living.

Children love outdoor play and physical exercise. For example, younger children keenly climb and slide on the apparatus safely. Older children can manoeuvre bicycles and scooters with excellent control and coordination.

Children thoroughly enjoy the time to eat with their friends. They become increasingly independent in the way they manage small tasks, such as putting toys away and serving themselves. Children are very eager to take part in initiatives such as brushing their teeth to reduce the risk of decay.

They develop a very good knowledge about the importance of healthy eating and the positive impact it might have on their health and well-being.Staff work well in partnership with parents and manage settling-in arrangements sensitively. They generally keep parents well informed about their children's learning and development.

Parents know how to support their children's learning and are confident to ask staff for support and guidance if required.Strong links with providers and outside professionals help ensure that children receive the specialist support they need.Managers supervise staff and offer them specific guidance to help them strengthen their skills.

They support staff well and help them reduce the workload.Staff attend courses to develop their teaching. They speak highly of the way the management team supports their well-being.

For example, staff appreciate a calm and cosy place to relax during their breaks and the counselling service provided for them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers undertake rigorous recruitment processes to help ensure that all staff are suitable to work with the children.

Managers help staff to be familiar with the setting's induction procedures so that they can fulfil their roles effectively. Staff have attended safeguarding training and are aware of their responsibilities to protect children in their care. They know about the procedures to follow if they have any welfare concerns about a child or an adult.

Safeguarding policies and procedures are also made available to parents and others. Staff conduct regular risk assessments on the premises and resources to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: noffer a higher level of challenge to extend children's mathematical skills and ability to solve problems unaided.