Nelly’s Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show that they feel safe, are happy and feel secure in this child-centred nursery. They have strong emotional attachments to the caring staff, who cuddle and comfort them as and when needed.

Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. Older children learn a range of skills. For example, writing their name and understanding how to form letters.

Children confidently approach visitors and invite them into their play. They excitedly show what they have created. All children make good progress and benefit from attending this nursery.

Children behave well and have an incredibly good understa...nding of the rules of the nursery. They interact very well with each other and have high regard for others. For example, when they see their friends struggle to open a small treasure box, they say, 'I know how it opens, would you like me to help you?'Children develop an abundance of skills for independence.

They build on these new skills as they progress through the rooms. This helps children to have a secure and solid foundation for their future learning. To reduce the on-going risk of transmitting COVID-19, parents are not routinely entering the building.

Staff continue to exchange information about children verbally and electronically. They share home learning activities and information about how parents can support their child's development at home.

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

Managers provide an ambitious curriculum intent for all children.

Staff use their observations and knowledge of each child to design a curriculum that builds on what children already know, and use their interests to inform their planning. Overall, the planning for children's learning is effective. However, the planning of experiences outdoors is less effective in helping those children who learn best outdoors to take full advantage of the learning opportunities.

There is a strong emphasis on partnerships in the community. For example, children visit local cafés and the library. They make weekly visits to the local market.

Babies and younger children enjoy the wealth of sensory experiences as they hold, smell, and taste different fruit and vegetables. Older children write their shopping lists and calculate money as they prepare for their trip. This helps children to have experiences beyond the nursery and home and extends their understanding of their community.

Children are curious and show a positive attitude to their learning. For example, older children delight in learning about scientific inventors, archaeologists and mechanics. Together they consider cures for diseases, explore fossils and bones, design and then build their own flying machines.

Children proudly tell visitors how they have loved making the 'massive explosions' and watching the 'lava' come out of the volcanoes they have made. Staff working with pre-school children use new experiences to introduce a wealth of new vocabulary as children play.Children enjoy exploring a good range of mathematical activities.

For example, babies make marks and patterns with paint and sponge shapes. Toddlers make shapes with dough using cutters and rollers, and staff talk to them about length and size. Pre-school children use rulers.

They learn how to start at the zero and count the numbers on their ruler. However, occasionally, some adult-led activities are not fully adapted for the differing abilities of children. Therefore, some children who need more challenge begin to lose focus in the activity.

Children are confident communicators. For instance, they speak eagerly during 'carpet times', listen to the views of others and share their own thoughts. Staff strongly promote children's enjoyment of stories and books.

For example, babies look at board books and explore textures of books with their key person. Older children settle down to read, handling books carefully and turning the pages. They use their vocabulary as they pretend to read.

This supports children's communication and language development as well as their early literacy skills.Relationships with parents are a real strength of this setting. Parents regularly receive useful information about their children's progress.

They particularly appreciate the support they have received during the pandemic. Parents report that their children are happy and settled at the nursery.The new manager is enthusiastic about good-quality professional development.

Overall, she creates an environment where staff continuously evaluate the children's experiences and work together to implement improvements. The manager applies effective strategies, such as supervision and individual meetings, to evaluate workloads and promote staff well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers and the staff team understand how to identify the signs and symptoms that could indicate a child is at risk or vulnerable to abuse. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child, including for the wider child protection issues. They clearly understand how to report any concerns about the conduct of another colleague towards children.

All staff have completed safeguarding training and understand their responsibilities to protect children from harm. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop the planning of experiences outside so that it is more effective in helping those children who prefer to learn outdoors nensure that the planning of adult-led activities includes the consideration for the differing abilities of the children.