Oakmount Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are nurtured, exceptionally well cared for, and thrive in the relaxed, homely atmosphere created by highly committed and dedicated staff. Children are extremely happy and content.

They form exceptionally close bonds with staff and demonstrate a secure sense of belonging. The youngest children enjoy looking at picture books of their families, thoughtfully assembled by their designated keypersons. Conversations about family life help children to feel exceedingly well settled.

All children make outstanding progress in their learning in relation to their individual starting points. This includes children wi...th special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children have high levels of curiosity and motivation for learning.

They actively explore the exciting range of resources and activities provided inside and outdoors. Children are eager to engage in activities that promote their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. For example, they quickly recognise quantity when matching groups of objects.

Leaders are constantly reviewing the indoor and outdoor environments. Staff create a relaxed and calming atmosphere through the home-from-home environment and family feel in the baby and toddler rooms, to the more structured set up in the pre-school. Each room is thoughtfully organised in a way that successfully supports children of all ages to explore and learn.

Leaders and staff say how this has had a positive impact on children's emotional well-being, dispositions and learning.

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

Leaders have an excellent understanding of what they intend children to learn. They continue to enhance staff's professional development through highly effective mentoring and coaching to maintain their outstanding practice.

Staff demonstrate high-quality teaching. This helps children achieve their next steps, and in some cases to exceed all expectations. Staff know their key children extraordinarily well and successfully meet children's individual needs.

Staff provide an exceptional range of opportunities to help develop and extend children's communication, language and literacy skills. The language-rich environment provides children with excellent opportunities to select from an extensive range of reading materials. This helps to foster children's love of books.

This is further promoted by the reading schemes made available to parents. These help parents to continue to support learning at home and contribute greatly to the progress made by children in the development of their literacy.Staff have high expectations of the children, who take part in inspiring and challenging activities.

For example, young children actively examine fresh herbs and chop up vegetables to make pretend soup. Older children's physical development is exceptionally well supported. For example, they build with recycled materials and learn to handle tools such as hammers and nails with care.

Staff provide excellent ways to promote children's understanding of mathematics and technology. Babies and young children confidently use toys with flaps, buttons and lights. Furthermore, they are able to explore the sensory room with its vibrant lighting displays.

Older children are highly motivated learners who competently use interactive whiteboards and computers.Staff are excellent role models. They support children's social skills and emotional well-being exceptionally well.

Children learn to cooperate and share resources. They learn to value and respect the feelings of others. Children's behaviour is exemplary.

They are confident, self-assured and demonstrate excellent attitudes to learning.Staff are highly responsive to children's individual care needs and routines. Health, hygiene and children's independence in self-care are exceptionally well promoted at all levels.

Older children develop their independence in readiness for school. For example, staff encourage them to practise changing their clothes independently for physical education sessions.Staff provide children with purposeful life experiences.

For example, children have opportunities to go swimming, attend dance sessions and learn Spanish. In addition, children's understanding of the difference and diversity in the world around them is explored through visits from a diverse range of professionals who teach them about their work.Parents are highly complimentary about the nursery.

They describe how the leaders and staff go 'above and beyond' in helping their children learn and progress in all of their development. Parents are delighted with the progress their children make. They comment that they see great improvements in their social skills, independence and confidence.

Parents feel highly involved with their children's learning and feel exceptionally well supported by all the staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children's safety and welfare are at the forefront of this exemplary nursery.

Staff complete training to enhance their knowledge and have a comprehensive understanding of how to raise any safeguarding concerns. Staff's training and knowledge are actively drawn on through group discussions and one-to-one meetings. Safeguarding documentation is clearly displayed throughout the nursery.

This enables staff to have quick access to information should the need arise. Staff can confidently identify the possible signs of abuse and potential harm, including identifying those children who may be at risk of extremist views and behaviour. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures help ensure that all staff are suitable to work with the children.