Nellie’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and growing in confidence. Staff are sensitive to the different ways that children have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children benefit from extra support to catch up on missed learning. They make good progress in their speaking skills, and learn about friendships and turn taking. Staff have high and consistent expectations of children and provide familiar and consistent routines.

This helps children to feel secure and they behave well.Children make choices in their play. Staff consider children's interests when planning activities.

This helps to engage children in their learning an...d they are keen to join in. For example, children delight in tracing patterns in glitter while making 'potions'. Staff successfully help children to build on what they already know and can do.

The manager acknowledges that more focused support and supervision would help staff to enhance their already good teaching.The manager communicates extremely well with parents, who are overwhelmingly pleased with the care that their children receive. The key-person approach helps children to form close relationships with staff.

This helps children to feel safe and they develop a sense of belonging. However, arrangements to share information about children's learning are not embedded in practice.

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

Staff understand how young children learn.

They plan plenty of activities that appeal to children and are matched to their individual needs. This helps children to make good progress in their learning. The quality of education is good.

However, the manager's arrangements for the supervision of staff do not focus on ways to help them to develop their knowledge and skills further.Children achieve well in mathematics. Staff weave numbers into activities to help children to develop skills in counting.

Pre-school children successfully count out legs for a spider they make with dough.Staff encourage children to develop a love of books. In the pre-school room, each day begins with a story.

Staff then weave the story through activities for the rest of the day. For example, children remember the magic words from a favourite book while mixing potions. This helps to develop children's skills in literacy and they learn new words quickly.

Two-year-old children show a love of songs and dancing. They join in eagerly with the enthusiastic staff, who dance and sing along with them. Staff pronounce the words clearly so that children can understand and learn the songs.

This supports children's developing language skills well and encourages their creativity and confidence.Babies benefit from warm and caring relationships with familiar staff. They are curious and keen to explore in the room.

They squeal in delight while splashing in a water tray. Staff plan carefully to help babies to develop their physical skills. For example, they provide furniture and toys to encourage younger babies to pull themselves up and stand.

Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, children eagerly help to tidy the room and put on their coats with minimal help. They join in familiar routines, such as washing their hands, which teach them how to stay healthy and safe.

Children develop good listening and attention skills. Staff have realistic expectations, which increase as children grow. They have introduced a brief 'welcome time' to toddlers.

Children sit together briefly and sing a song to welcome their friends. This prepares them well for longer, more-focused group times as they move through the rooms in nursery and, eventually, on to school.The manager has supported families and maintained contact with them throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the contact between key persons and parents is infrequent. This means that they are not consistently able to share information about children's learning to help children make the best possible progress.Staff know children well and every child is valued.

Children who need additional support benefit from tailored plans to meet their needs. Staff consider children's individual life experiences and backgrounds. They use what they know to help children to develop the skills needed to succeed in later life.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager uses safe recruitment procedures to help to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. She keeps up to date with safeguarding legislation, for example through emails from the local authority and networking opportunities.

Staff benefit from training during staff meetings. They know about the different kinds of abuse and what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare. The manager has clear procedures in place in the event that an allegation is made against a member of staff.

Staff carry out regular risk assessments and review accident records. This helps to ensure children's safety while in the nursery.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen support and supervision arrangements to help staff to build on the quality of teaching develop further ways for staff and parents to share information about children's learning, to help children to make even better progress.