Railway Children’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The nursery is situated in a very rural location.

This means the staff can offer unique opportunities that children may not otherwise experience. For example, the nursery visits cows at the local farm and regularly makes visits into the local environment and community. Furthermore, the opportunities for physical play in the nursery garden help to promote children's ability to take safe risks.

Those children who arrive very slightly unsettled receive a cuddle from their key person and within seconds are ready to play and explore. Children demonstrate that they are happy and safe at the nursery. They benefit from strong ...key-person arrangements, which helps them to build close bonds with staff from the outset.

Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. They excitedly share their delight when children count beyond their prediction. The ethos of high expectations is shared by the capable and experienced manager.

She has a focus on developing staff and ensuring the children develop the key skills they need for school. Children receive specific praise and encouragement from staff, which helps them to develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children behave well and understand what is expected of them.

They listen to staff, who gently explain why sharing and taking turns can benefit their friendships.

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

Staff benefit from the knowledge of an experienced and highly motivated manager who works alongside the staff team, role modelling good practice. There are clear systems in place for supervisions, peer observation and mentoring to help staff maintain at least good teaching practice.

The manager and deputy help to construct a curriculum that captures children's interests and challenges them well. Staff and the management team assess children individually and as a group. Planned activities focus well overall on what children enjoy, can already do and need to learn next to support their learning.

However, on occasions, staff interrupt children's independent play to involve them in adult-directed activities and to follow the daily routines of the nursery.Staff make sure children have ample opportunities to increase their physical skills and to be outdoors in the fresh air. Children eagerly explore the natural environment and learn about caring for the nursery chickens and investigating the properties of ice.

Staff plan exciting activities to help children learn more about their wider community. Following on from the children's interest in a birthday, staff provide new activities beyond children's own immediate experiences. For example, a trip is planned to the local café for the children to have an afternoon tea.

They learn to sit together and practise their social skills.Staff place good priority on developing children's emerging language skills. They consistently model language, ask questions and provide a running commentary.

This helps children to become skilful communicators who articulate themselves well to visitors and staff.Staff animatedly read stories to children to build on their listening and attention skills. Children think about and answer questions staff ask about the book.

This broadens their understanding and supports their early literacy skills well.The manager and staff organise a rich and stimulating environment with an enticing range of learning experiences. Resources are very easily accessible and, overall, children enjoy exploring what is available to them.

The manager uses additional funding thoughtfully to ensure gaps in all children's learning narrow and they make good progress. For example, an electronic interactive writing board has helped to encourage children to practise their early writing skills.Parents speak very highly of the nursery and staff.

They comment that the manager and staff go above and beyond to meet their individual needs. Parents contribute to their children's learning and development by accessing the online learning journal. Parents say the staff 'feed their children's learning'.

The relationships the staff build with the parents contribute to the positive and respectful relationships the children have with staff.The manager strives to support her team, so they share her values and vision for the nursery. Staff demonstrate good levels of well-being, which helps them to undertake their roles successfully.

They have access to a range of training opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge. For example, recent training has resulted in staff working towards developing a more accessible natural environment.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of different types of abuse, including radical and extreme views and behaviours. They are clear about the recording and reporting procedures to protect children in their care. The manager implements a safer recruitment policy to ensure the suitability of staff working with children.

The deployment of staff is effective, and children are always supervised in the different areas of the nursery. Staff maintain a safe and secure environment for children to protect them from harm.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of routines and adult-directed activities to make sure that staff do not unnecessarily interrupt children's concentration, play and independent explorations.