Puddleduck Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle well in this bright and spacious nursery. They have a wide range of activities to choose from throughout the day. Staff organise the environment, indoors and outside, to promote children's development across all areas of learning.

Children have a positive attitude to their learning and eagerly have a go at the opportunities available to them.Children make friends at the nursery and play well together. Out in the garden, they climb to the top of the climbing frame and call for their friends to join them.

They use their rich imaginations to create games and challenges, such as with the balancing apparatus.... In the home corner, children recreate and share experiences from their home lives alongside their peers. This helps them to explore and negotiate everyday social situations.

Leaders develop a curriculum that is based on early literacy and storytelling. They find out about children's interests as they explore pictures and text together. For example, children have developed an interest in the human body and how to stay healthy.

They explore this further through books, songs and role play. Staff introduce new vocabulary to support children to express their feelings and ideas. This prepares children well for their eventual move on to school.

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

The long-standing team of staff know the children in their care well. Children's key persons can explain, in detail, what individual children are learning and what support they need to achieve their next steps in development. Staff share information with parents verbally and through an online system.

This helps parents to contribute to their children's learning at home. It also provides continuity for children and helps them to make good progress.Staff gather lots of information about children and their families during the admission and settling-in process.

Staff know about children's individual circumstances and any challenges they are facing at home. This helps staff to provide an inclusive setting where children learn to understand and celebrate their similarities and differences.Leaders use regular supervision sessions to discuss any concerns staff have about children and any additional measures required to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This enables staff to use their good knowledge of early childhood development to support all children with their learning.Parents speak highly of the nursery. They express that they had concerns about the impact of the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on their children's early development and social skills.

Parents say that they chose this small setting because of the warmth and friendliness of the staff team. They say that their children are content, develop friendships and learn new skills at the nursery.Mealtimes at this nursery are joyous.

Children wash their hands and come to the table eagerly to enjoy healthy food, which is freshly prepared on site. Staff sit and eat alongside children. They demonstrate how to use cutlery and support children to have positive social interactions.

Children are chatty and friendly. They eat heartily and confidently ask for seconds. However, staff do not consistently support children to play a more active role in helping during the mealtime routine, for example by helping to clear the table, to support their independence even further.

Staff work closely with an external provider to deliver a comprehensive programme of movement and dance workshops. Staff support children during adult-led workshops to participate in a range of activities that help to develop children's balance, coordination, turn-taking and social skills. Children explore the resources independently throughout the day.

They show great concentration as they practise the challenging activities.Leaders remind parents of the services available to support children's good health and well-being. Staff encourage parents to access local dental and optician services to check their children's teeth and eyes.

When children are aged between two and three years, staff prepare a health and development review for parents to share with their health visitor. This helps staff and parents to work in partnership to act swiftly if any concerns are identified.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff have the knowledge and understanding required to promote children's safety and security. They promote a culture and ethos that prioritises children's welfare. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a child or the behaviour of a colleague.

They know who to contact to raise concerns and what to do in the case of an emergency. Staff manage children's dietary requirements, preferences and allergies effectively. The nursery is well maintained, clean and safe.

Leaders make appropriate adjustments to the environment to accommodate children with SEND. Staff use effective risk assessments to identify areas for improvement and minimise hazards.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide more opportunities for children to help throughout the day to support their growing independence and confidence even further.