Old Rectory Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Old Rectory Day Nursery is a special place to be. Children's emotional well-being is at the heart of everything the setting does. When children start, staff find out all about their individual likes and dislikes from parents.

They use this information to make the learning environment familiar to children. For example, staff play traditional Chinese music that children have heard at home. If needed, parents are invited into the setting to help children settle.

This unique and individual settling-in process helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are very independent. Three-year-old children skilfully rem...ove their painting from the easel and confidently place it on the drying rack.

They persevere when they find this challenging and show pride when they are successful. Children help themselves to drinks. For children who have just started at the setting, staff show them how to use the tap on the drink dispenser and then give them plenty of time to have a go themselves.

Staff provide focused support to help children make progress. Children have strong relationships with staff, who know them exceptionally well as individuals. They benefit from the ambitious curriculum which matches their interests.

Staff skilfully build on what children already know. They continually plan for the next steps in children's learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make exceptional progress from their starting points.

Children immerse themselves in their play and sustain their interest in activities for long periods. For example, children work together to adjust the height of guttering as they problem solve to find out how quickly marbles can travel down a ramp.

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

Staff use every available opportunity to broaden the experiences children have at home and extend their learning.

When children show an interest in boats and how they float on the water, staff take children to visit a staff member's boat. This leads to a discussion about the importance of children staying safe near water. Back at the nursery, children make their own boats using different materials and explore toy boats in the water.

Staff provide children with a vast range of opportunities to explore the outdoor areas. This helps children to develop their physical skills. Children move with confidence as they climb the steps to the slide and wiggle their bodies to negotiate moving through a tunnel.

They manage risks well, for example, they explain to visitors that they are going to hold onto the handrail in case they trip.Children benefit from consistently strong interactions throughout the day. Staff expertly observe children to monitor their learning and progress.

When staff interact with children, they ask children thoughtful questions to extend their learning. Children are given plenty of time to respond. For example, when children retell the story of 'The Three Little Pigs', staff ask them how the pigs might be feeling when the wolf blows their house down.

Staff introduce new vocabulary for children, such as 'brave' and 'frightened'. Children choose to retell the story later with their friends and begin to use the new words they have learned.Parents are incredibly positive about the care the setting provides.

They say the setting goes 'above and beyond' for them and their children. Parents comment that they know what their children's next steps are and how they can support them at home. They say they are regularly invited to attend online training courses on topics, such as how to support their children's communication and language skills.

Parents say they would not hesitate to recommend the setting to other parents.Children who receive additional funding, such as pupil premium and those with SEND are supported exceptionally well. Staff are skilled at identifying children who may need additional intervention and this is swiftly put into place.

For example, children benefit from small-group work about how to behave in a positive way and how to share and take turns with their friends. The setting works in close partnership with outside agencies to ensure there is a collaborative approach to children's learning. Children's progress is consistently monitored to ensure all children make rapid progress from their starting points.

Staff receive ongoing support to develop their practice to the highest level. Support is intrinsically focused on what staff do well and what they need to do next to improve their practice even further. Staff are well supported and encouraged to develop in their role.

They say they are actively encouraged to seek out training to support them. Staff share the information they have learned with their colleagues. The impact of training is regularly reviewed.

Staff are highly experienced and skilled, which contributes to the positive learning experience children have.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding.

They access training throughout the year to ensure their knowledge is kept up to date. The manager regularly accesses the local safeguarding partnership guidance website and shares updates with staff. As well as this, the manager and deputy manager regularly ask staff safeguarding scenarios to identify any gaps in their knowledge.

Staff know about the signs and symptoms of abuse and who to report their concerns to. Staff act promptly and refer information to outside agencies if they have concerns a child's welfare may be at risk. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.