Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Stafford

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager is aware of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's personal development. Staff work with parents from the onset to learn about children's prior experiences, care needs and personal interests.

They display photos of children's families and teach them about different countries that their peers come from. This contributes to children building a positive self-image. They feel safe and secure.

Staff who work with babies follow their nonverbal cues. For instance, when babies rock their arms left to right, staff know to sing 'Miss Polly had a Dolly'. This makes babies smile.

Staff routinel...y ask children about their experiences, such as what they have enjoyed and what they would like to do next. This encourages children to share their views.Children being independent is built into the curriculum.

For instance, older children find their own name cards for self-registration and self-serve their food at mealtimes. With supervision, they safely put on their own sun cream before going outside, and when they accidently splash water onto their clothes, they get a tissue and independently clean it up. Babies and young children have the space to play and move freely.

They have access to age-appropriate climbing equipment to promote their early physical skills. They enjoy running outdoors and kicking a large ball. Older children learn to move their bodies in a variety of ways during yoga sessions, improving their balance, movement and coordination skills.

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

Since the last inspection, the manager has thoroughly reflected on the care and education children receive, to drive ongoing improvements. Together with staff and external professionals, appropriate changes have been made to the environment, daily routines and the number of children on roll. This has enabled the manager to focus on upskilling current staff and further recruit.

Despite staff recruitment challenges, procedures are robust to ensure that all staff working with children are deemed suitable.Parent partnership is excellent. Staff ensure that all parents and carers are aware of their children's next steps, and they share ideas to continue learning at home.

Parents positively comment on how managers and staff have built an open and honest relationship with them. For instance, parents were invited into the setting to discuss previous inspection outcomes. Their views are actively sought and respected.

Staff use books and songs to extend children's knowledge and vocabulary and they purposefully plan activities which link to focused stories. For instance, toddlers use a wide range of one-handed tools, such as spoons and scoops to explore Goldilocks's breakfast. When older children engage in a story about space, staff encourage them to pretend to be a large planet and they get into their invisible space suits.

Staff send books home and invite parents into the setting to read to children. Consequently, children develop a love of books.Children show good levels of engagement in their play, and they happily take part in circle times throughout the day.

Staff organise smaller group times to focus on older children's communication development. For instance, they use their finger to draw letters in the air and say the sounds as they draw. Children know that today is the twenty-eighth day of the month and recognise that a 'two' and an 'eight' is the number 28.

This highlights secure knowledge of number recognition. Although staff intend to use repetition and single words when talking to younger children, at times language used is too complex. This does not help young children to learn new words quickly.

Toddlers routinely wash their hands, get a cup and find their individual placemats before choosing where to sit to eat. Older children recall prior learning when looking at past pictures of themselves. They remember what a 'germ' is and that they need to brush their teeth twice a day.

However, staff do not always help children to gain a deeper understanding of why expected behaviours are important. This does not help to further embed children's knowledge of health and well-being.Staff regularly discuss children's development with the manager to narrow any gaps in learning.

They know to refer any concerns to external professionals should children need additional support. Staff say that they feel highly supported by the manager. They express how hard everyone has worked since the last inspection and how they have 'grown as a team'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to help staff to develop their interactions with younger children and recognise when to simplify their language to further strengthen children's early communication skills help children to learn why expected behaviours are important, to deepen their understanding of how their actions may impact their own and others' health and well-being.