Pebbles Nursery and Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Babies dip their fingers into paint to make marks on paper.

Toddlers smile as they sit on rocking toys. They show how they have developed their ability to balance as they use these resources independently. Staff are close by to make sure that toddlers are safe.

Older children ride wheeled toys and climb up the slope to access the slide. They use their hands to mix ingredients together, such as flour and oil to make play dough. Older children repeat words such as 'squidgy' and 'squeeze' as they manipulate the dough.

They show their understanding of weight when they describe the bag of flour as heavy. Older chil...dren add blue paint to the mixture and notice this is the same colour as the sky. They use dough cutters and rollers to make marks.

Older children explain how they are making 'sausage pizza'. Children are active learners who spend a significant amount of time in the fresh air. The curriculum supports children's physical and creative development well.

Staff have high expectations for all children.Children show kindness to their peers. For example, they tell staff how they will help their friends to pour water into the dough mixture.

Children behave well. They show how they feel happy and safe through their high levels of concentration and enjoyment in their play.

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

The management team has taken appropriate steps to make improvements.

Children now play in welcoming, well-resourced and stimulating environments. Babies have black and white resources. This is because staff are now aware that black and white patterns help babies to focus their attention.

All children take part in engaging activities. They have good opportunities to build on their existing skills.Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff noted a difference in the number of words that some children know and use.

Consequently, they set up a lending library for parents to encourage them to read to their children at home. Staff have also placed chairs in the reception area so that parents can read to their children as they drop off or collect. This effective partnership working is helping to close any gaps in children's speech and communication skills.

Children look at books outside with their friends. Staff join their play and read to them. Children use words and actions to show how the crocodile 'goes snap'.

They count one to five, and staff reinforce this learning by asking children to show this by finger counting. Children talk about the different animals in the story and recall their knowledge. For example, they explain that a baby duck is called a duckling.

Children also know how to identify a robin by its red breast. They learn about different music from around the world. For instance, children dance the moves of the cha-cha-cha and the waltz.

Staff make very good use of books to extend many aspects of children's learning and development.All children have a key person who knows their care needs well. There is also a buddy system in place to make sure that children receive continuity of care when their key person is absent.

Staff support children's emotional well-being well.Effective systems are in place for the supervision of all staff. Staff report that they feel supported by the management team, and the team care about their well-being.

The manager routinely observes staff's teaching and provides them with constructive feedback. However, feedback does not always identify weaknesses in practice to raise the quality of the provision even further.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support.

The special educational needs coordinator and key person work closely with parents and other professionals. They offer small-group sessions to focus on children's individual learning targets. Children get the input they need to help them achieve the best possible outcomes.

Overall, staff know their key children well. However, for some planned activities, staff are not always clear about what they want children to learn next. This means some planned experiences do not always meet babies' individual needs.

Staff do not always challenge older children's thinking in their play.Staff sing nursery rhymes to babies and toddlers as they play and during daily routines, such as mealtimes. Toddlers copy actions to point to the ceiling and floor.

Staff use signs alongside words to support babies' and toddlers' early communication skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The management team has worked hard to address the safeguarding and welfare requirement actions raised at the last inspection.

Staff have good knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. They have improved their awareness of other factors that could place children at risks of harm. For example, staff are aware of the signs that may indicate that a child is being subject to radicalisation or extreme views.

The management team carry out Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all staff, together with other vetting procedures. Suitable recruitment practice is in place to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen planning of adult-led activities to offer more challenge for older children and focus more precisely on the targeted learning intentions for babies monitor the quality of staff's practice more closely to identify areas where they can extend their teaching to benefit children further.