Priory Foundation Learning Centre (Owlets)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at nursery with enthusiasm and an eagerness to play and learn. They greet their friends and the staff warmly and politely, and quickly engage in their chosen activities.

Good attention is paid towards keeping children safe and secure. Staff fully understand their duties to protect children from harm. Teaching is good and children make good progress in their learning and development.

Assessment is used well to target children's specific learning needs. Staff are dedicated to making sure every child achieves well and reaches their full potential. Children who need extra help catch up quickly with their fr...iends and leave nursery confident and ready for school.

Children behave well. They are kind and respectful to their friends and readily demonstrate good manners as they play and share with one another. Staff are positive role models and help children to resolve any disagreements calmly and effectively.

Children become increasingly independent and learn to take care of their own needs, with staff on hand to support when needed. For example, children enjoy helping themselves to snack in the nursery's 'Snack Café'. They choose their own activities during designated parts of the day and learn well alongside their friends during adult-led group times.

In the main, these occasions are used well to challenge children in their learning. However, sometimes children's learning is interrupted due to the current structure of the daily routine.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make particularly good progress in their learning.

Staff work closely with parents and other agencies involved to make sure children's priority learning needs are fully understood and planned for.Teaching is good overall and takes account of children's abilities and interests. For example, younger children enjoyed replicating the patterns of rainbows with coloured fruits.

Older children delighted in recalling the story of 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' through role play and by making their own puppets.Creative activities support children's learning well. For example, children made butterfly pictures to help them understand the concept of symmetry.

They measured a number of items with blocks and recorded their findings in different charts to reflect their growing understanding of mathematics.Staff work well together. Under the strong leadership team, they fulfil their responsibilities well.

They form close attachments to the children and develop a close bond with local families.Parents speak highly of the nursery. One parent praised the calibre of the staff and said, 'I totally trust them with my child'.

Another said, 'I would not send my child anywhere else'. Parents confirmed they felt fully involved in their children's learning and development and that they enjoyed attending the regular 'stay-and-play' sessions with their children.The curriculum is planned well and offers a broad range of learning experiences for children.

Full use is made of the local area to help children understand the community where they live. For example, children travel on the bus to the supermarket and buy food for their snacks. They visit the harbour and learn about the work of fishermen.

Staff use these outings well to promote children's learning and help them develop an understanding of the wider world.Leaders monitor the quality of practice closely. They talk to staff regularly and help them reflect on their practice.

Training and development opportunities are used well to provide staff with additional skills to support children's learning. For example, some staff have completed specific training to support the children who need extra help with their speech and language development. This has had a very positive impact and parents have seen the improvements.

Staff are kind and caring towards children. They actively promote children's independence and the development of strong emotional well-being. Children become increasingly adept at taking care of their own needs and making their own choices.

Children show curiosity and interest in activities and engage and concentrate well, particularly when learning outside.At times, the routine is very structured and this hinders children's learning. Children who prefer to play outside have fewer opportunities to explore this area freely.

On occasions, staff step in too quickly when asking children questions. This does not give children sufficient time to think before they respond, and stops the flow of conversation between children and adults.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Children are kept safe in the setting because staff fully understand their role in safeguarding. They have completed relevant training and know how to respond quickly to any concerns they may have about a child's well-being. All areas of the premises used by children are safe and secure.

Children learn useful safety routines, such as being careful when using the stairs down to the cloakroom. Outside, children know which areas they can use, and good supervision levels help to ensure that no child can leave the premises unsupervised.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the structure of the daily routine to ensure children benefit from longer times to become absorbed in their chosen activities make better provision for children who prefer to learn outside nallow children more thinking space and time to respond when being questioned by, or engaging in conversation with, staff.