Queensdown Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff show a passion for celebrating each individual child in this welcoming, nurturing environment.

They plan personalised targets and know children and their families very well. This allows children to feel emotionally secure and valued at this nursery. All children enjoy an array of activities to support their physical development.

For example, they run up and over the small, grassed hill, negotiate space as they ride scooters and compete in games, which include throwing hoops over a loop. Staff support children's early mark-making skills well. For example, staff skilfully model how to pinch and grasp a peg, as they... practice hanging out the pretend washing on the line.

Children love pegging out the 'washing', not realising this was building on their strength for future mark-making skills. Children behave well. They respond to staff informing them it is 'tidy-up time'.

Staff make their expectations clear, for example, by asking children to carry out specific tasks, such as collecting up the small-world figures and returning them to the large box. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to staff's requests and staff are good role models.Staff use every opportunity to reinforce language and extend and model vocabulary to children.

Children are gaining in confidence and developing a love for books and reading. Older children are curious and confident to ask questions as they listen to a group story. Staff introduce children to new vocabulary and explain what words and phrases mean.

This supports children's developing communication and language skills.

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

The nursery has been through a period of change and faced challenges with recruitment in line with national shortages in the sector. The provider, who is also the manager, has addressed this and has a clear vision for the future of the nursery.

Staff comment that the manager is available to offer well-being assistance as needed.Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents feel supported with how to help their children at home.

They receive regular updates about their children's learning through learning journals, which are shared regularly, newsletters and daily communication. They report on the noticeable progress that their children have made since starting nursery, and parents of older children speak of their readiness for attending school in September.Effective use of working partnerships with other professionals and external agencies ensures that all children make expected progress.

Staff identify children who need extra support and plan accordingly. For example, staff identified that some children were not progressing as well with their communication and language development, following the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff plan small-group sessions to support these children, with a range of games and activities to encourage children to use their tongues and lips to strengthen their facial muscles.

This has a positive impact on supporting children's developing language development.The experienced and dedicated manager recognises she is not yet monitoring staff practice closely enough to focus support on helping them to build on their professional development. She has identified how she can particularly enhance the training staff receive to focus more precisely on raising the quality of teaching to the highest level.

Staff have a good understanding of their curriculum and how children learn. They plan a rich and varied selection of well-organised activities to encourage children to explore and build on what they already know. This helps children to make good progress.

An effective key-person system is in place. Staff in this small, nurturing setting know the families and children very well and chat to children about their home life and activities. For instance, staff know where children and their families are going on their annual holidays and discuss recent family visits, such as to the bird park at the weekend.

Staff plan activities for children to engage in during regular circle-time sessions. For example, they use a range of songs and actions to welcome children to join the group. However, sometimes, when children come together as a group, the teaching does not closely match the most immediate learning needs of the children taking part.

At these times, some children become distracted, or older, more-confident children can dominate these sessions.Staff support children to follow good personal hygiene routines. Children remember to wash their hands after outdoor play, or before eating food.

They confidently manage all steps of handwashing, most of the time doing so independently. Staff discuss the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle with children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and how to protect the children they care for. Staff attend regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge and understanding up to date, including the 'Prevent' duty and female genital mutilation. Staff understand the signs that children may be at risk of harm and know how to report any concerns they may have about children or the adults they encounter.

The manager shares information with other professionals working with families to help promote children's welfare. Staff carry out regular risk assessments and take appropriate action to ensure children's safety at all times.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the monitoring of staff practice so that all staff receive coaching and professional development opportunities to raise the quality of education to an even higher level focus teaching more precisely on what children would most benefit from learning next when children come together as a group.