Phoenix Park Nursery Giltbrook

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children happily arrive at the nursery and quickly settle into the play activities provided by the staff. Children are curious and want to have a go as they play with the activities and resources.

However, not all children make the best possible progress they are capable of. The curriculum designed to support younger children's development is not ambitious enough. Some staff have not had enough coaching or support to help them understand how to promote and extend all aspects of younger children's learning.

Nevertheless, older children are well supported by staff and benefit from well-planned activities. Overall, children'...s communication and language are supported well throughout the nursery. Staff who work with younger children introduce new words, such as 'squeeze' and 'crunch'.

Babies demonstrate their understanding as they respond by squashing dried cereal in their hands. During imaginative play, older children respond well to the open-ended questions asked by staff. They describe to staff how they are going to make a waterfall.

Children learn to behave well and confidently seek out adults for support and reassurance during their play. Staff quickly respond and support children's emotional well-being by offering praise and encouragement. Children spend plenty of time outside in the fresh air.

They develop their physical skills as they learn to run, roll balls and use tools to dig in the sand.

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

The new management team is beginning to identify weaknesses in some staff's practice. There are plans in place to help improve teaching and monitor staff performance.

However, the coaching and support staff currently receive are not fully effective in helping staff to extend children's learning and development. Some staff do not support younger children well enough or provide them with tailored experiences to help build on their existing knowledge and acquire new skills.Staff who work with older children are enthusiastic in their approach, and overall, their teaching skills are good.

They complete regular observations and assessments of children's learning and use this information to plan activities. This helps prepare older children for when they move on to the next stage of their learning and readiness for school. However, the curriculum to support younger children's development is not always clear or purposeful.

Activities presented to this age group lack challenge, and staff are unclear about what individual children need to learn next. Consequently, younger children are not always well supported to make consistently good progress in their learning.The provider ensures the children receive a healthy and well-balanced diet.

Staff make sure they inform the cook of children's specific dietary requirements or allergies to promote children's safety. Staff who work with older children talk to them about the benefits of healthy eating. Children learn to serve their own food and use cutlery correctly, which aids their independence skills.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They quickly recognise those children who require extra support to help manage and resolve minor conflicts. Staff provide clear guidance and explanations about the rules of the nursery.

Children learn to behave well and play cooperatively with one another.Overall, staff help children to learn and understand the importance of effective hygiene routines. For example, older children know and understand how to wash their hands before they eat and after using the toilet.

However, good hygiene practices are not followed consistently by all staff. For example, younger children are able to drink from each other's cups and eat cereal intended for sensory play that has been on the floor. As a result, there is a risk of cross-infection.

Staff make sure children have access to a variety of versatile and tactile materials and resources that support children's sensory development. Older children use their imagination well. They excitedly tell visitors what flavour ice creams they are pretending to make as they explore foam.

Younger children are supported by staff to create pictures using paints.Staff make sure children develop a love of books from an early age. Younger children enjoy sitting and listening as staff share stories with them.

Older children confidently share what they think will happen next in a story. They respond well to the open-ended questions asked by staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure staff are provided with ongoing coaching and support to help them to understand how to plan and provide activities and build on their teaching practice 27/08/2024 develop an ambitious curriculum for younger children and ensure staff implement this consistently.27/08/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove hygiene practice to promote the health of children with particular regard to minimising the spread of infection.