Noah’s Ark Community Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Excellent settling-in procedures support children to feel secure when they first attend the setting and when they move between rooms. Children are very happy at the setting. They have secure relationships with the kind and caring staff, who are responsive to the children's individual needs.

Staff take time to explain to children why some behaviour might upset others, and help them to develop a secure sense of right from wrong. Children receive specific praise for their achievements. This supports them to know exactly what they have done well and helps raise their self-esteem.

Children are motivated and confident... to initiate activities and test their skills. They have very positive attitudes towards learning and like to try new experiences. Children have the confidence and skills needed for their next step in learning, including the eventual move to school.

A strong focus on communication and language is evident throughout the setting. Babies make sounds, babble and utter first words with great confidence. Older children engage in conversations and discuss ideas expertly.

Children develop exceptional language and communication skills as they take part in small-group activities. For example, children used rich vocabulary such as 'delectable' and 'tangy' to describe the food they tasted.

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

The setting is exceptionally well managed and led.

The manager shows dedication and commitment to providing high-quality care and education for children. The manager accurately evaluates the setting's practice. There is a strong focus on professional development for the whole staff team, targeted towards the children's needs.

This contributes strongly to sustaining the highly effective provision.The manager supports staff in a variety of ways and they feel highly valued. Staff comment that their workload is manageable and their morale is high.

They are delighted and enthusiastic to share their views about all aspects of teaching. Staff speak with pride about the achievements of their key children.The teaching of early literacy skills is very effective.

For instance, children immerse themselves in storytelling by acting out familiar stories. A love of reading is promoted from a young age. Babies enjoy looking at pictures and board books.

Toddlers select their favourite books, turn the pages carefully and point to the pictures. All children can take books home to share with their family.Children have ample opportunities to enjoy fresh air in the garden and to develop their physical skills.

Younger children climb apparatus, while older children ride scooters at speed. In addition, they benefit from organised sports activities with a dedicated coach, and yoga sessions.Staff implement the early years foundation stage curriculum consistently across all areas of learning.

They skilfully adapt activities, making excellent use of children's interests to promote their learning. Staff interactions are excellent and successfully build on what children already know and can do. For example, older children displayed high levels of perseverance and confidence as they used knives to chop avocados and pineapples.

Staff then challenged them to say how many parts they had after cutting the fruit in halves and quarters.Staff get to know children and their families exceptionally well through the effective key-person system. Assessments of children's learning are timely, accurate and precise.

Staff seek and value children's views. For instance, children are involved in the planning process to ensure activities are based on their interests.Partnerships with parents are excellent.

Staff use various ways to communicate with parents, including giving them daily feedback and accessing their child's online journal. This helps to ensure parents are fully included in their children's learning and can continue to promote this at home. Parents provide extremely positive feedback about the care and education their children receive.

One typical comment was 'I could not have picked a better nursery'.Staff provide an extensive range of experiences that significantly broaden children's understanding of the world around them. For example, staff take children to visit older people in a local day care centre.

Children also enjoy outings to city farms and 'street art walks'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff consistently implement the provider's rigorous policies, procedures and risk assessments.

They support children's health, safety and well-being effectively. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and know how to deal with concerns about children's welfare. They are very familiar with the whistle-blowing policy and procedures for reporting allegations.

Staff have a sound understanding of signs which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm, including exposure to extremist views. The manager follows thorough recruitment processes to appoint new staff. This ensures that staff are suitable and have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles.