Minee Monkeys

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders and managers have ensured that the weaknesses identified in the last inspection are rectified and improved. Staff follow improved procedures to ensure that children attending are safe. Children are happy and well settled in the nursery.

They form close relationships with staff, who know them well. Staff are gentle and nurturing towards them. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their care.

Children have fun and enjoy their time at the nursery. For example, the youngest children giggle excitedly when staff pretend to be a lion and roar while crawling on the floor. Other babies copy the actions of staff... when they change to act as a monkey.

Pre-school children enjoy their time outside. They play together to make 'mud pies', following simple recipes that staff have created for them.Children have fun and show positive attitudes to learning.

They behave well and use good manners. Staff model good manners during their interactions with colleagues and children. Babies play turn-taking games and respond as staff say 'thank you' when they give them their toys.

Toddlers say 'thank you' when they receive cups and bowls from their peers at snack time. Children gain the skills and knowledge they need to prepare them for the next stages of learning.

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

Leaders and managers have now developed an ambitious curriculum with clear intentions for children's learning.

They ensure that staff understand and implement the curriculum effectively for children. Staff provide children with activities and experiences that help them to practise their skills and build on their prior learning. They use regular observations to check what children have learned and make plans for what they are ready to learn next.

This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.Communication and language are promoted generally well. Staff include new words during conversations for children to learn and use during play.

Staff are enthusiastic, and they engage children while they read stories and sing songs. This includes rhymes in other languages for children who speak English as an additional language to hear and sing along. Children are eager to join in with actions and the words they know.

Staff hold interesting conversations with children during activities, such as painting and mixing colours. Staff ask purposeful questions to find out what children know. That said, staff do not always give children enough time to think and respond to their questions before asking another.

Staff promote independence well in the nursery. For example, babies follow simple instructions to tidy away toys, toddlers learn the sequence of handwashing, and pre-school children manage their care routines well. Toddlers find their belongings and attempt to put on their coats and boots.

Staff give children lots of praise for their achievements. This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem.Leaders and managers have worked hard to improve the quality of teaching in the nursery.

They have made good use of the support that is provided by the local authority and the training that is provided to increase staff's knowledge and understanding. Leaders have identified that further support is required for staff to improve their personal effectiveness during their interactions with children. At times, staff speak quite quickly and do not always use language correctly for children to hear.

Children enjoy activities that are prepared for them. For example, babies use jugs to pour water and spoons to stir. Toddlers have fun while they stand to use their larger movements to 'sway' and 'swish' while they hear a familiar story.

Pre-schoolers continue with their interest in construction. They focus for lengths of time as they use a mixture of sand and foam to construct elaborate buildings.Children receive an improved menu of meals and snacks.

Leaders and managers have used research to ensure that children receive food that is freshly cooked, nutritious and varied. The menu includes meals from other cultures.Parents are happy with the nursery and comment that staff are friendly and approachable.

They say they value the information they receive, both from the online information received and from their child's key person on collection, about their child's care and learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers have ensured that staff understand the safeguarding policy.

Staff are vigilant and ensure that parents, carers and visitors do not use mobile phones in the setting. Staff can identify signs that indicate a child may be at risk of abuse. This includes where an allegation is made against a colleague.

Staff know the local procedures to report concerns about a child's welfare and how to escalate their concerns if they are required to. Recruitment procedures are robust. These include background checks that are carried out to check that all staff are suitable to work in the nursery.

Routine checks are made in the nursery environment to ensure that it is safe for children to attend. Hygiene practices are now improved to help prevent the spread of infection.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop the support for staff so that they improve their personal effectiveness during their interactions with children to improve the outcomes for children's learning nensure that staff provide children with ample time to think and respond to staff questions with their own ideas.