Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Walton-on-Thames

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settle quickly when they arrive. They have secure attachments with warm and caring staff who are attentive to their needs. Staff cuddle up with babies and sing to them during nappy changes.

This helps them feel safe and secure in the environment. Children of all ages are keen to explore the wide range of interesting activities and resources which staff plan for them. Younger children show high levels of concentration using their hand-to-eye coordination as they play with enjoyable, colourful, interactive puzzles.

Babies gleefully practise their growing physical skills with walkers and ride-on toy...s, enjoying their new-found independence. Older children sit for lengthy periods, immersed in connecting parts to build construction vehicles.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and are great role models.

They provide ample praise, which helps children to take pride in their achievements. Children learn good manners as they are reminded to say 'please' and 'thank you' from a young age. Older children form positive, close friendships with each other and enjoy each other's company.

Children of all ages relish the responsibility of carrying out small tasks, such as helping to tidy away before snack time. Younger children become increasingly independent with managing their self-care needs. They understand the importance of washing their own hands before meals.

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

Leaders are passionate and have a clear vision for the nursery. They regularly evaluate the quality of the provision. There is a clear focus for the curriculum, which leaders make sure all staff understand.

There is a strong emphasis on providing children with a broad range of experiences. The curriculum is well sequenced to support children to achieve, consolidate their knowledge and move on to the next stage in their learning. However, the outdoor area does not fully support children to consistently benefit from rich experiences across all areas of learning.

Nonetheless, leaders recognise this aspect of the provision could be enhanced and are currently in the process of refurbishing the outdoor area.Children behave very well. Staff reinforce positive behaviour for children of all ages.

They provide simple, age-appropriate messages to babies and young children about the importance of being kind to their friends. Older children learn it is important to not interrupt their peers and use 'listening ears' during group activities. They instinctively understand the importance of taking turns.

Staff monitor children's development closely. Information about children's achievements and what they need to learn next is well understood across the team. As a result, all staff know what children need to learn next in order to move on to the next stage in their development.

However, at times, staff do not fully tailor their practice in order to help children to fully benefit from meaningful and intended learning.Early literacy skills are well supported. Children develop a love of reading from a young age.

For example, babies approach staff with books to indicate they want to read stories with them. Younger children develop larger muscles in their arms to support future writing as they make marks on easels with crayons. Older children have unlimited access to mark-making resources.

They demonstrate a good pencil grip as they trace over stars with pencils.Children are confident communicators overall. Babies babble and are starting to learn action words as staff sing nursery rhymes to them at snack time.

Staff ask children open questions as they read stories together. Older children are very keen to share their detailed knowledge about planets as they read a book about outer space together. Staff interact with children constantly during the day, listening and responding warmly to what they have to say.

Partnerships with parents are very strong. Leaders and staff work hard to involve parents in all aspects of the setting. They send out regular newsletters and plan regular activities for parents to be involved in.

Parents feel well informed about their child's development and how to extend their learning at home. They particularly comment on the 'community feel' and that leaders and staff genuinely care about their families.Staff positively support children to learn about healthy lifestyles.

Children have daily opportunities for physical exercise. They enjoy playing with hoops and on ride-on toys in the garden. They engage in a range of activities, such as yoga, sports activities and music and movement classes.

Children enjoy a wide range of balanced and nutritional snacks and meals.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders regularly test staff's knowledge to make sure they understand the policies and procedures in place to keep children safe.

As a result, staff have a very secure knowledge and understanding of the signs which could indicate a child is at risk of harm. They are confidently able to confirm the reporting procedures they must follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare or the behaviour of another member of staff. Staff understand their responsibilities to make sure that leaders take the right course of action to keep children safe.

The procedures in place to make sure that staff are suitable to work with children are clearly followed. Leaders regularly monitor staff's ongoing suitability during regular supervision.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the already good systems in place for the coaching and monitoring of staff practice, to support them in being able to consistently deliver the curriculum so that all children benefit fully from intended learning review the curriculum for outdoor provision to ensure that children have more play opportunities and consistently rich learning across all areas of learning.