Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Managers and staff have the highest expectations for all children. They organise the environment and resources incredibly well so children have access to a vast range of enjoyable experiences.

Children arrive full of enthusiasm and thoroughly look forward to their day. Staff provide all children with the freedom to explore. All children show an excellent attitude towards learning.

Their behaviour is exemplary. Younger children actively initiate play experiences. For example, they excitedly roll a ball to one another.

Older children have already learned to regulate their own behaviour. For instance, they... share scooters in the outdoor area and listen to each other's ideas as they create intricate drawings together. Staff provide warm praise.

This further boosts children's already considerable confidence and sense of worth.Younger children use all their senses to experience the texture of crushed dry cereals. Staff's genuine enthusiasm motivates them to join in with the actions to songs.

Older children dance as they use a microphone to sing their favourite Christmas songs. They show a strong sense of achievement. Children form exceptionally warm and caring bonds with their key person and all staff.

Opportunities for children to play and eat together harmoniously in mixed age groups helps to support their superb social skills. Children positively benefit from the many carefully selected extra organised activities. For example, younger children have fun building on the flexibility and agility of their body to music, and older children learn to speak Mandarin and Spanish.

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

Staff are highly skilled at promoting and supporting children's self-chosen learning. Their strong focus on valuing the individual interests and needs of children is at the very forefront of everything they do. Staff know the children exceptionally well and invest time in finding out and building on children's experiences in their lives.

They accurately assess what children know and can do. They adeptly plan challenging targets for what children need to learn next. All children are exceptionally well prepared for school.

The members of the management team provide inspirational leadership. The highest priority is given to staff's morale and well-being. They are knowledgeable about factors that may have an impact on this.

The management team promotes a culture of openness, where staff feel very well supported and work excellently as a team.Staff provide children with excellent opportunities that help them to understand the importance of helping others who are less fortunate than themselves. For example, they participate in many events to raise money for specific charities that have strong meaningful links.

Children have an outstanding knowledge of what makes them unique.Staff regularly take children on visits in the local community, including to the synagogue, cathedral, town and extensive open spaces. This helps to give children rich experiences that promote their understanding of people, families and communities beyond their own.

There is a strong focus on staff's professional development, which is well targeted towards the needs of the children. The manager makes the very best use of staff's individual strengths. For instance, as a result of recent training, children now participate in regular yoga sessions and develop an excellent awareness of how to regulate their breathing.

Staff take pride in presenting a diverse range of books in an inviting manner. This helps children to develop a real love of them, and young children learn to handle books carefully. They point out characters on the pages.

Older children regularly visit the local and nursery library to select books. They listen to stories with undivided attention. Staff's excellent use of questions helps children to understand the structure of stories and rhyming words.

Staff give a high priority to developing children's language skills. They show their expertise in adapting their teaching in relation to children's stage of development. For example, staff introduce and repeat simple words for younger children, and challenge older children to incorporate words that describe how they feel, using complex sentences.

Children who are learning English as an additional language are very well supported.Parents are fully involved in every aspect of their children's care and learning. There is an excellent collaborative approach to supporting children to continue to make superb progress.

For example, parents attend information evenings on different aspects of children's learning, such as positive behaviour management. They also join staff on training courses. This means that parents are exceptionally well informed to support the continuity of their children's learning at home.

Parents are full of praise for the outstanding service this nursery offers. They comment that staff are 'fantastic' and they regard the nursery as an 'extension of their own home'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers and staff are well trained in their safeguarding responsibilities. They have a thorough understanding of procedures to follow if a child may be at risk of abuse. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of children's individual lifestyles and family circumstances.

This helps them to be aware of changes that may indicate whether children and families need any additional support. Robust checks help to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. The management team provides parents with a wealth of excellent information that helps them to safeguard children.