Puddleducks @ Meadoway

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy in this friendly and welcoming nursery.

They enter the nursery with enthusiasm and excitement and settle quickly. They are confident and move around the room selecting what to play with. Children have a positive attitude towards their learning and all children become engrossed in their play.

Children behave extremely well. Staff are good role models. From an early age, staff introduce children to turn taking and being kind.

Children demonstrate respect for others and use excellent manners. They have a strong sense of belonging and become confident, independent learners.Staff have high expect...ations for children and assess their development effectively.

They provide a vibrant environment that benefits all children. For example, children enjoy the newly created discovery areas. Younger children eagerly explore the natural items, such as cotton wool, as they hunt for hidden characters.

This helps them to develop their curiosity and investigative skills. Older children learn to scoop and count using pans, soil and ladles. This also helps to ignite children's language skills, as they talk about what they see and are doing.

All children make good progress in their learning, including those who receive additional funding.

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

The dedicated manager leads an enthusiastic staff team. She provides timely and purposeful support for all staff through detailed supervision sessions, observations of practice and staff meetings.

They attend a variety of training that helps to extend their good knowledge and practice.Staff interact with children in a positive manner and provide opportunities to help spark their imagination. This is evident as the older children pretend to make their dinner with the soil and herbs in the outdoor hut.

Younger children mix dough then 'cook' it, remembering to put on a glove as the 'oven is hot'. However, during some spontaneous learning experiences, staff do not recognise when to adapt their teaching to challenge children's learning even further.The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works extremely effectively with children who require additional support.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the very best possible support at the earliest opportunity. The SENCo liaises with the key person to swiftly recognise children who are not meeting expected levels of development. Other professionals are welcomed into the setting to provide advice and the SENCo implements accurate and effective plans.

This helps all children make good progress from their starting points.Staff make effective use of their observations and assessments to support children's next steps in learning. They plan activities based on children's interests and match these to their abilities.

For example, children recently enjoyed a trip on the bus and conker picking in the park. Staff prompt children to pronounce the names of natural objects, such as 'conker', as they play alongside them. Overall, staff are attentive to children's needs.

However, they do not always identify when some quieter and less confident children need more support to help them to fully engage in learning and play.Staff support children's emerging language skills well. Staff working with younger children use labelling and repetition to aid children's understanding.

Staff use key words and picture cards to help children who speak English as an additional language. Staff supporting pre-school children use skilful questioning that enables children to express their ideas and develop their vocabulary.Parents hold the nursery in very high regard.

Parents report that they are very well supported and find communication to be one of the main strengths of the nursery. Parents receive regular updates about their child's development from their child's key person. The nursery provides home learning resources and ideas for children to take home.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff kept in touch with parents over the telephone. Parents were provided with ideas and activities to support their children at home.Staff are responsive to children's care needs and encourage them to be independent.

Babies learn to feed themselves and toddlers use exceptional manners while they help to set the table for lunch. Older children clean their own faces when they have finished eating. Children serve their own lunch and pour their own drinks.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good awareness of their role in protecting children from harm. They access a wealth of targeted training that helps to develop a broad knowledge of safeguarding issues.

Staff confidently describe the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is suffering from abuse. They fully understand who they should report any concerns to and know how to report any issues regarding a colleague's practice or conduct. Staff supervise children well.

They ensure that they deploy themselves effectively so that children can always be seen and heard. Robust recruitment arrangements help to ensure that staff are suitable to carry out their roles and remain suitable throughout the duration of their employment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to better support children during spontaneous learning experiences to further build on their knowledge and skill provide support to quieter and less confident children to enable them to fully engage in their learning.