Morning Star Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy at the nursery.

Babies enjoy cuddles from the calm and friendly staff members. They learn to behave well and interact positively with one another. Older children readily demonstrate their high levels of confidence.

They speak about their trip to the dentist when they arrive back to the nursery after their appointment. Children remember the rules, putting up their hands and waiting their turn to speak, keenly sharing their own experiences about the topic. Children enjoy opportunities for physical play.

For instance, they play in the garden on equipment, creating obstacle courses. They balance... carefully on crates and planks, moving cautiously along until they reach the end. Older children lead physical sessions.

They respond positively as staff encourage them to share their ideas with others. For instance, they choose different exercises and lead their friends in doing star jumps.Children receive a wide range of new experiences at the nursery.

They go on regular outings to the local library, where they select books to build on their love of reading. They enjoy trips further afield, such as to museums. They participate in sports days in the local park with their families.

These experiences build on children's understanding of the wider community.

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

The manager recognises the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning and development. She provided families with strong support when the setting closed during the pandemic.

For instance, parents took part in online sessions with their children. The manager has adapted the settling-in process to help ease children back into the nursery. She recognises that the pandemic has also had an impact on parents.

The positive changes she has made have resulted in tailored settling-in sessions to meet the individual needs of each family.Staff build on children's vocabulary from a young age. They talk to babies about the sound their food makes as they eat snack, such as using the word 'crunch' when they eat vegetables.

Older children successfully use new language. For instance, they speak about carbohydrates as they eat their healthy lunch. Staff extend their learning further, introducing other relevant language.

For example, they explain the meaning of 'protein' to children.Engagement with parents is strong. Staff hold discussions with parents before children start.

This helps staff to identify what children can already do and what they need to work on next. The manager makes herself available to parents for support, such as when they are sleep training their children.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support.

They enjoy the range of opportunities that staff provide them with. Staff recognise what specific areas the children need to develop. For instance, they provide opportunities for children to strengthen their hand muscles.

Staff offer the children sensory experiences which they respond positively to. For example, children smile as staff allow sand to run through sieves so that the children can feel the texture of it over their hands and legs. The staff's positive interactions help children with SEND to progress well.

The passionate manager is highly reflective. She continuously assesses the provision on offer. Staff feel well supported in their roles and their well-being is a high priority to the manager.

For instance, she provides staff with training days. They take part in yoga and attend motivational sessions. This supports them to have a positive approach to their work.

Babies develop social skills, such as when they sit together for snack time. They wait patiently for the tray of fruit to come around so that they can select what they would like to eat. The oldest children carefully pour their own water at snack time.

They help one another, collecting cutlery for their friends in preparation for lunch. However, toddlers do not receive the same consistently strong experiences during mealtimes. On occasion, staff serve the children snack hurriedly before they go outside.

As a result, toddlers are less likely to benefit from the opportunity to build on their social skills and independence while they eat.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and her staff team have a strong understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children.

They complete regular training to ensure that their knowledge is up to date. Staff are aware of the possible signs of abuse and neglect. The manager has a robust complaints process in place should parents need to raise concerns.

She understands the reporting process to pass on concerns to other agencies regarding children and her staff team. Staff are aware of specific safeguarding issues, such as how to identify children who may be at risk of exposure to extreme views or behaviours.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide toddlers with consistent opportunities to build on their social skills and independence further during mealtimes, in particular at snack time.