Monkeymoos Castle

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm and friendly welcome from leaders as they arrive. They show high levels of confidence, independence and enthusiasm as they start their day.

They quickly engage in meaningful play as staff have carefully planned activities which incorporate their individual interests. Consequently, children sustain interest in their play. For instance, older children immerse themselves in imaginative play.

They busily make smoothies, adding various fruits and scoops of oats to get the 'right flavour'. Others make their own pizzas and cook them in the oven, giving friends warning that the 'cheese might be hot when... it is first cooked'. Staff skilfully extend play, while continuing to follow the children's lead.

This helps children feel a sense of belonging, where staff value their opinions.Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, and, as such, they behave well. Older children recall nursery rules to keep themselves safe, for instance, explaining they do not run indoors.

Younger children are well supported to take turns and develop early friendships. Staff have a calm and consistent approach to managing children's minor disputes. This helps children to understand their own emotions.

Staff support children to develop their concentration skills and provide support and encouragement when children do not first succeed. For example, babies persevere to complete various shape sorters with positive praise and interaction from staff. Children seek out staff to share experiences with.

Babies receive comforting cuddles, while older children cannot wait to share their ideas or moments of achievement. Staff are responsive to children and know their unique personalities well. This enables staff to meet their individual needs.

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

Leaders have worked hard to ensure that improvements have been made to the nursery since the last visit, particularly regarding safeguarding and the suitability of staff. For instance, all staff have received additional child protection training. They can identify, respond and effectively report any concerns.

In addition to this, leaders have taken steps to ensure the suitability of all staff working with children and their families. Furthermore, they have ensured that staff who are unvetted, do not have unsupervised access to children. This helps to keep children safe.

Leaders have enhanced the support that staff receive. They monitor staff's practice to ensure that they receive any guidance needed to update their knowledge and skills. All staff receive regular, thorough supervision sessions.

This enables gaps in staff's knowledge to be identified and swiftly acted on. Staff report they feel well supported and confident to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.Children benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes all seven areas of learning.

Staff know what skills children have learned and what they need to learn next. Children's next steps are tailored by staff, who understand why they have planned activities and the benefits these promote. This supports children to make the good progress of which they are capable.

Generally, staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They hold back-and-forth conversations with children as they explore a variety of activities and share their thoughts. Staff narrate children's play and introduce new words such as 'crunchy' and 'juicy'.

However, children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) do not have consistent opportunities to hear and use their home language in nursery. This does not fully support their progress in their communication and language development. Despite this, children who speak EAL are well settled in the nursery.

Children's physical development is thoughtfully promoted. Babies safely access physical play equipment. They practise early skills such as pulling themselves up, walking and climbing.

Outside, older children run, climb and delight in jumping and splashing in puddles. Younger children use various tools to scoop, pour, and mix different sensory materials. They carefully complete simple puzzles, twisting and turning puzzle pieces until they fit.

This supports development of their small muscle skills. As a result, children make good progress in their physical development.Staff provide frequent opportunities for children to practise their independence skills.

For example, children attempt to put on their own coats and shoes for the garden. Younger children are supported to pour their own drinks and safely cut their own fruit for snack. Older children self-serve their meals.

This helps children to become self-sufficient. However, staff do not always organise mealtimes effectively. On occasion, older children spend a significant amount of time waiting.

This means that, at times, some children lack engagement and become restless.The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a secure understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have recently been given additional support to ensure that they have the information required to meet children's needs.

Staff understand the importance of working with other professionals and consistently following strategies in place for individual children.Partnership with parents is good. Parents value the online app for ease of communication.

They report their children, including children with SEND, are happy and comment that they have made good progress since starting. Parents know what their child's next steps in learning are. Staff share ideas with parents so they can continue to support children's learning at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders have addressed previous failings identified in safeguarding. All staff have had training to identify any gaps in their knowledge.

Leaders have processes in place to ensure that they keep up to date with their knowledge and with any changes. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms that may be a cause for concern. All staff know the local safeguarding partnerships to report concerns to.

Staff also demonstrate a secure understanding of the procedure to follow in the event they have concerns about a colleague's behaviour. There are effective arrangements for risk assessment which staff understand. Children are well supervised, including during sleep and mealtimes.

The manager has recently completed safer recruitment training which has helped her strengthen processes to ensure the suitability of staff. Procedures are now in place to ensure that staff who have not yet been checked, do not have unsupervised access to children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen support for children who speak English as an additional language, to hear and use their home languages in nursery review and develop the organisation of daily routines, such as lunchtimes, to reduce waiting times and to keep children engaged.