Pirates and Princesses Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Babies and children are happy at the nursery. They form strong and beneficial relationships with staff working with their age group.

Babies seek out their key person for cuddles and reassurance and thrive on the attention and care they receive. Parents are very positive about the nursery. They value the family atmosphere and say that staff are always so welcoming.

The nursery curriculum is well planned and ensures that children make good progress. Children have positive attitudes to learning. They show good levels of interest in the activities available.

Children's listening, attention and literacy skills are ...strong. Children select books independently and really enjoy story time with staff. Babies learn to turn the chunky pages of baby books.

Toddlers relish song time and join in with words and actions. Older children show very good skills at group time and join in with repeated phrases. Staff link to children's recent experiences to help make the story more relevant, particularly for the slightly younger pre-school children.

Staff provide sensitive support and explanations when children are struggling to understand expectations. Children learn to take turns, play cooperatively, and begin to manage their emotions. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Each child's key person observes children as they play, tracking their achievements carefully. They know children well. They develop good partnerships with parents.

They ensure there is a two-way flow of information, with daily chats, entries in the nursery's online system and during regular meetings with parents. Key persons follow children's interests and focus carefully on their individual learning needs, ensuring children make good progress.Children show good communication and language skills, including those who speak English as an additional language.

Babies happily babble as they point to pictures in books. Toddlers name animals and colours readily and copy staff's modelled words to name dinosaurs. Older children confidently hold more complex conversations and concentrate well as they discuss different feelings at circle time.

Children are curious and keen to explore. Toddlers investigate different sensory items. Children connect coloured, magnetic pieces, forming these into lines and shapes.

They explore colour in the sensory room and place colourful shapes on the light boxes. However, staff in the pre-school room do not always plan activities and areas to encourage children to experiment in their own way. Some creative areas are not used, and staff do not adapt adult-led activities to fully encourage children to test out their ideas.

Key persons act promptly if children are behind expected development. They liaise with parents and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO), putting in place additional support. The SENCO works diligently with outside professionals to ensure that children get the help they need.

Children show good levels of independence. Babies are confident to explore alongside their key person, who gives reassurance. Children relish the opportunity to carry out small tasks.

Toddlers help tidy up and proudly wash their hands to get ready for mealtimes. Older children use the drinks dispenser independently; they put their shoes and coats on to go outside and help staff to prepare the snack.The managers undertake regular observation of staff practice, hold supervision meetings and support staff to complete early years qualifications.

They have outlined that some new staff need further support and have allocated them a mentor to help with this. However, this process is not fully embedded. Qualified and senior staff do not consistently offer help and direction to new staff in the pre-school age group.

Consequently, some new staff do not have the confidence and knowledge of how to teach children across a range of different activities. As such, at times, children's learning is not extended as much as possible.The managers show dedication to the nursery and the families that attend.

Their meetings with staff, as well as questionnaires from parents, help them gain ideas to develop the provision. They work conscientiously to address issues raised. For example, after a trial, they are introducing further resources to aid a smoother transition for parents and children at the end of the day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to ensure that children who attend the nursery are kept safe. The managers follow safe recruitment and induction processes for new staff.

Staff carry out thorough risk assessments and ensure that the robust security procedures are implemented closely. They know what to do if they are worried about a child in their care or the conduct of other staff. The safeguarding leaders undertake higher level training.

They regularly check staff's understanding of safeguarding practice. They also ensure that staff renew their knowledge through a range of training, including child protection and first aid.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the opportunities for children to develop their creativity, supporting them to test out their ideas and extend their exploration as much as possible nexpand the support for new and unqualified staff, to help develop their teaching skills and children's learning to a consistently high level.