Portico at West End

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The atmosphere is calm and purposeful at this welcoming nursery. Staff prioritise getting to know the children and their families right from the start. A well-established key-person system ensures children develop strong attachments with staff.

Younger children seek cuddles from familiar adults for comfort and reassurance. They develop a sense of belonging from the family photos that are displayed in learning areas. Older children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure as they explore the inviting learning environment with confidence.

Staff praise children for their efforts, which builds their self-esteem. Children... behave well at this nursery. They share and take turns as they play together.

Staff have high expectations and remind children to use 'kind hands'. Staff are good role models and encourage children to say 'please' and 'thank you' at snack time.Younger children benefit from activities at different heights.

This motivates them to crawl, stand and reach for the things they want to explore. They investigate a variety of sensory toys and thread shapes onto poles. This helps to develop their hand-to-eye coordination.

Staff encourage older children to take safe risks as they roam freely in the secure forest area. Children hide behind trees and duck under branches as they explore. They shriek with delight as they climb up and run down the leaf-covered hill.

Children develop core strength and balance as they leap across tree-stump stepping stones.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how the children learn and develop. They use information about children and their interests to provide a wide range of activities that ignite their curiosity.

For example, older children who are interested in volcanoes watch in awe as they mix oil, food colouring and water together and watch as it separates.Overall, staff provide opportunities for children to develop their independence. For example, children serve their own food at lunchtimes and mix their own paint when creating.

However, staff do not consistently ensure that older children have opportunities to manage their own self-care.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the help they need swiftly as staff work closely with parents and other professionals. They use accurate assessments to plan children's next steps and to monitor their progress.

Additional funding is used well to ensure that all children make the best possible progress.Staff use expressive voices and over-emphasise their gestures to build anticipation during activities. This captivates children and helps to develop their listening and attention skills.

For example, older children are keen to discover the object hidden in the box during rhyme time. Younger children reach excitedly for the bubbles staff blow after holding their attention for a short time.Interactions between staff and children positively enhance communication and language development.

Staff strive to extend children's vocabulary. For example, they chat with children as they make play dough, introducing words such as 'sticky' and 'gloopy'. Staff sing songs and share stories with children.

They provide opportunities for children to fill in missing words or to make up magical endings.Staff work exceptionally well together as a team. They attend weekly meetings and receive regular supervisions to develop and share good practice.

They say they feel valued and speak very highly of the support they receive from the management team. Staff access a wide range of training, and this has a positive impact on teaching and learning.The manager has a clear vision for improvement.

The outdoor learning environment is a key area identified for development. The manager and staff have started to enhance this area so that it provides the same quality of learning experiences that children benefit from inside. However, the improvements are not yet fully established.

Parents are very happy with the care provided for their children. They say their children are thriving and that staff go 'above and beyond' to ensure they enjoy their time at nursery. They feel that staff help to prepare children well for the next phase of their education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to safeguard children. They recognise the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm.

Staff know what action to take if they have any concerns regarding a child's welfare. They are clear about the procedure to follow should they have concerns about the conduct of a colleague. The management team implements robust recruitment procedures and completes regular checks to ensure the ongoing suitability of all staff who work with children.

Accidents are closely monitored, and swift action is taken to minimise risks. Children learn about safety as they assist staff with daily risk assessments to ensure that the setting is safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure staff make the most of every opportunity to encourage older children to manage their own self-care so that they develop independence continue to develop the outdoor learning area so that children receive the same quality of teaching and learning experiences that are provided for them indoors.

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