Poppies Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time in this friendly and welcoming nursery.

They show they have formed secure attachments with staff, who know them very well. This helps children feel safe, secure and confident to develop their knowledge and skills. Babies explore the toys, knowing that they can seek out their special adult when needed.

Staff reassure them and offer them lots of praise and encouragement, for example when babies pull themselves up to standing. Toddlers are confident to join in with group activities and enjoy singing songs with their friends. Older children play together cooperatively, sharing the resources and ta...lking about what they are creating.

They show a positive attitude towards their learning. The managers have a clear curriculum intent and know what they want the children to learn in readiness for moving up to the next base room or for school. Staff have high expectations of and respect for the children.

Staff help babies learn what is happening next by talking to them and using visual aids, such as showing them their nappy and asking if they can change it. They encourage toddlers to have a go at using the toilet, to feed themselves and to count out their pieces of fruit at snack. Older children serve their food and go off to the toilet independently.

They are confident to ask for help when needed.

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

The managers have supported staff to make improvements to their teaching. Staff attend training and development opportunities that have a positive impact on children's development.

In addition to the mandatory training, staff have attended training on supporting early communication and screening for any delay in children's language development. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those children who learn English as an additional language get the support they need in a timely manner.Children's behaviour is very good.

Staff offer lots of praise and encouragement and help children share and take turns. They encourage older children to talk about their emotions and think about the reasons for how they are feeling. Staff are good role models for the younger children.

Staff support children's communication and language well. Staff talk to babies about what they are doing and they sing lots of songs together. Staff give children time to respond to questions.

They repeat back words and sentences correctly and introduce new vocabulary, such as 'watery'.Parents report that their children are making progress. They receive written feedback about their children's learning and progress and can request face-to-face meetings with staff at any time.

However, parents miss being able to share their children's experiences, for example by coming into the nursery to read stories or celebrate special events. This practice is currently under review following the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.Additional funding is used effectively to help the most vulnerable children catch up.

For example, managers provide additional staff to work closely with these children to support them to become confident and independent learners. Staff liaise with teachers at children's feeder schools, which helps them prepare for children's individual needs and eases the move to school.Managers provide incentives to increase staff's morale, which has a positive impact on children's experiences.

Staff report that they feel supported and that managers are respectful of their personal lives and well-being.Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and outdoor play. Younger children explore bubbles and sing familiar rhymes.

Toddlers explore the sand and make 'cakes' and 'mashed potato' as they add water. Older children practise dribbling footballs for their sports day and climb the slide confidently. However, staff do not regularly provide more physically exuberant activity to promote children's good health even further.

Children thoroughly enjoy listening to favourite stories. Staff encourage them to consolidate their learning as children talk about what happens next and recall what they have learned. Children have plenty of opportunities to use various tools and explore malleable materials to strengthen their hand muscles in readiness for early writing.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The managers and staff are confident in their knowledge of child protection and a wide range of safeguarding issues. They know what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare or the conduct of a colleague.

Managers check staff's knowledge spontaneously and during staff meetings by using quizzes and scenarios. Recruitment procedures are robust and help check staff's suitability to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease opportunities for parents to be more involved in their children's experiences and their learning in the nursery nimprove opportunities for children to regularly engage in play that supports their physical exertion.