Merry Poppets Nursery Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy being at the nursery and show that they feel safe and secure. For example, on arrival, young children hold their arms out to staff and separate happily from their parents. Staff use the key-person system well and work with parents to obtain thorough information about children's needs, routines and development when children first start attending.

Staff have high expectations for each child and continuously assess their progress. They use this information well to plan activities that aid children in extending their learning. For instance, children of all ages have many opportunities to make marks and develop their ...early writing skills.

Younger children make marks in foam and sand. Staff follow the writing programme used by the local school and support older children in learning to write letters. Children play independently and also work well with others.

For example, children playing with the mud kitchen organise their resources and readily include others, explaining what they are doing and passing them spoons and pans. Children respond to the ongoing support and encouragement from staff and talk proudly of their achievements. Older children develop a good understanding of emotions and feelings and know how to manage their behaviour.

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

Staff ensure that they understand children's experiences. They build on these to offer them activities that support their ability to learn. For example, children enjoy investigating natural materials.

This stimulates their curiosity and aids them in learning to explore. Staff make good use of additional funding to further support children's learning.Children benefit from thoughtful practices.

Young children enjoy looking at family photographs. These offer comfort and aid children in learning about other ways of life. Older children refer to the number line and count in English and French.

These opportunities support their skills in mathematics and help them to appreciate differences.Staff adapt activities to ensure these offer challenge. For instance, staff members encourage younger children to join the pieces when playing with a construction set.

They support older children to count and sort the blocks.Staff make good use of children's interests to help plan play opportunities. Younger children enjoy a role-play kitchen, where their interests in transferring objects and playing with pans are extended.

Older children become engrossed as they play in a role-play shop. They develop their imagination and learn new vocabulary, such as 'shopkeeper' and 'kiwi fruit'. Staff support them well and ensure that they understand any new words.

Staff and managers work well with other settings that children attend. They share assessment information and ensure that children's care is consistent.Children demonstrate an enjoyment of reading, and staff skilfully maintain their attention.

Older children listen intently to a story and eagerly follow the staff member's lead as they pretend to walk like a bear. Staff read with expression to younger children and repeat key words.Children develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

For example, they walk carefully down the stairs, allowing space for one another. Ongoing discussions help them understand the importance of a healthy diet.Managers support staff well and ensure that their workloads are realistic.

Staff report that they enjoy their work. They access further training and managers support them to share their new knowledge and put this into practice.Staff confidently enable children to determine activities.

For instance, older children set out a craft activity they have decided on. Staff support them well in these chosen activities and generally encourage children to think further. However, this is not consistent and, sometimes, staff do not make the best use of opportunities that support children in learning to solve problems as they encounter them.

Staff talk with parents and use communication books to help understand children's development at home. They use this information to inform their planning. However, staff do not offer parents as much support as possible in extending their children's learning at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff demonstrate a good knowledge of safeguarding. They know how to identify and report any concerns about children's welfare.

Staff work well with statutory agencies to make sure that children's welfare is promoted. They have a secure awareness of the risks posed to children by exposure to extreme views or practices. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

Additionally, managers ensure that correct staff ratios are maintained and children's safety is prioritised. Staff take effective action to protect children from any risks posed by use of the internet.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend the opportunities that help children to consider the problems they encounter as they play and talk and to find solutions to these build on the procedures to support parents to extend their children's learning at home.

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