Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Hartley Wintney

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are settled and content at the nursery. They clearly feel at home and are keen to take part in activities when they arrive.

Babies form strong bonds with their carers. Staff are extremely warm and kind, and give them lots of cuddles to support their confidence and emotional well-being. Babies practise their physical skills as they carefully hold on while climbing the steps to the small slide.

They are starting to build relationships with others. For example, they smile broadly when approached by another child. Staff have high expectations of all children, including those with special educational needs and or d...isabilities and those for whom the nursery is in receipt of additional funding.

Staff work effectively in partnership with parents and other agencies to provide children with any help they need. Overall, staff provide good support to help children build on their skills over time. This prepares children well for their future.

Children behave well. Staff are good role models and help children to develop self-discipline. Older children are becoming increasingly independent in seeing to their own personal care needs.

For instance, they practise collecting their own meals from the serving table, in readiness for school.

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

Staff know children well. They plan activities that interest children and help them to make progress.

For example, staff support pre-school children who like to make play dough to think about the ingredients they will need and the order in which to add them to their mix. This supports children's problem-solving skills well.Children are cooperative and happily help out during routine activities, such as tidy-up time.

For instance, toddlers help to put away the toys in readiness for lunch and remember to wash their hands before eating. However, at times, staff do not organise the lunch routine consistently well. This means that, on occasion, children sit and wait for their meals for some time, without being involved in purposeful play.

Children's ideas are valued. Staff encourage them to make their own decisions about their play and respect their choices. This is demonstrated well when pre-school children vote on the book they want to listen to during story time.

These children understand behaviour expectations well. For example, they know the golden rules and confidently remind each other to use 'kind hands' and 'indoor voices'.Staff implement the curriculum well, overall.

For example, they focus on helping children to develop their personal, social and emotional development following an extended absence during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. However, at times, staff do not encourage the older children to extend their early writing skills, to prepare them for their future learning.Children develop good early mathematical knowledge and skills.

Staff support toddlers to count the number of children sitting on the large see-saw. They then help them to practise new words, such as 'equal', 'heavier' and 'bigger', as they consider whether the two sides are 'balanced'.Staff promote children's communication skills well throughout the nursery.

They engage in regular dialogue with children to increase their vocabulary. Staff use additional strategies, such as signing, 'Makaton', flash cards and singing, to support those children who need extra help with their development.Children play with a variety of toys and resources that help them learn about diversity and prepare them for life in modern Britain.

For example, toddlers play with a range of dolls portraying different ethnicities.Partnerships with parents are good. Parents speak highly of the staff.

They appreciate the action taken by the nursery to keep in touch with them during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the suggestions they received about activities they could do with children at home.Leaders and managers monitor the provision effectively. All staff, including the apprentices, have good opportunities for ongoing professional development.

This helps them to continually improve their teaching. Staff say they feel well supported by management, who show good concern for their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The management team ensures that staff undertake regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge and skills up to date. They follow effective procedures in the event of an allegation being made about an adult working with the children. Staff have a good understanding of the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse, and they know what to do if they have a concern.

They are clear about the action to take if they are concerned about the behaviour of another staff member. Staff follow effective procedures to deal with any accidents children may have.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of the lunchtime routine, to ensure that all children stay focused on purposeful learning support staff to implement the curriculum for literacy more consistently, particularly to promote older children's early writing skills, to prepare them for their future education.