Poulton St Chads Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children build close and nurturing bonds with their key person from the outset. They arrive full of smiles, and gleefully greet their friends and staff. Children quickly settle in and are ready to learn.

Children learn well across all areas of learning. They are confident communicators, have good social skills, and are becoming increasingly confident in mathematics.Staff work hard to ensure that what they plan for children enables them to meet the next steps in their learning.

As a result, all children, including those who are funded and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), all make good ...progress from their unique starting points. The manager, who is also the provider, is committed to providing good-quality childcare and education for all children. The staff team are aware that some children have had limited experiences due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, the needs of children and their families are at the heart of all that this setting strives to achieve. Parents are highly complimentary of the provider, staff and the service they receive. Parents of children with SEND praise the constant, high-level support that they receive, and describe the staff as 'wonderful'.

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

Staff model language well. As a result, children are confident communicators. Staff repeat familiar words and phrases to children and encourage them to engage in meaningful discussions.

For example, younger children predict what might happen next as staff read to them. Staff ask older children questions to test their understanding and widen their vocabulary. For instance, when children make 'muddy hot chocolate', staff talk to them about the ingredients, portion size, and quantities.

Children are supported by staff to gain an understanding of their emotions and be considerate of the feelings of their friends. Older children explain to younger children that they must wait for a vacant chair at the table before they sit down to join in. Children say 'please' and 'thank you' without having to be prompted by the staff.

Children relish their reward stickers for their good behaviour, which they proudly show off to their friends.Children display positive attitudes to learning and are eager to have a go and try new things. However, at times, some staff are too quick to step in.

Also, the way in which some routine times of the day are organised do not give all children sufficient time to refine their independence skills. As a result, some children become easily frustrated.Children develop well in mathematics.

This is because staff skilfully weave mathematical concepts through children's play and at routine times of the day. Younger children are tasked to count how many times they can pat their hands in paint. Older children predict how many cups of water it will take to fill a container with water.

Older children understand more-complex mathematical concepts, such as 'more', 'less', 'full' and 'half full'.Children have many opportunities to practise and refine their physical development skills. Babies explore a tray of paint with their hands and fingers and make marks.

Toddlers copy staff and learn how to jump using two feet as they jump in muddy puddles. Older children confidently hold pens and pencils, and make snips in paper using scissors.Staff have attended some relevant training and have, in the past, received robust individual support from the manager.

However, this is not as effective at the moment, due to the continued impact on staffing following the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, staff do not consistently receive the individualised support they need to raise the quality of their educational practice to the highest levels. That said, teaching is good overall.

The provider makes time to ensure that staff well-being is supported and that they have a good work/life balance.Partnerships with parents and other agencies are strong. Parents are particularly fond of the communication application.

This supports children's learning at home and involves parents in the life of the setting. For example, the cook recently shared some menus with parents to support children's eating habits at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The provider and her staff team have attended appropriate child protection and safeguarding training. As a result, they have a robust understanding of their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. This includes making timely child protection referrals and allegations management.

The setting is safe and secure. There are good systems in place to ensure that children's health and safety are given due consideration. For example, children take part in regular fire evacuation drills.

This helps children to be able to act accordingly in the event of an emergency. Most staff hold a valid paediatric first-aid qualification.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen current arrangements for staff supervision and coaching to better support staff to develop their quality of education delivery to consistently high levels review how routines of the day are organised and carried out to better support children's independence and self-help skills.

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