Redhill Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff are smiley and welcoming as children arrive in the morning. Children are keen to share their news as they come into the nursery, and they settle in well.

Parents comment that staff are nurturing, and families feel that their children are safe and well cared for. Babies explore the world by immersing themselves in messy play, such as using their fingers to investigate the inside of a pumpkin. Toddlers start to learn to take turns and become more sociable as they laugh with friends while singing along to familiar rhymes.

Older children are learning to be independent and getting ready for the next stage in their edu...cation. For example, staff support children to recognise their own name when they register themselves in the morning. Staff manage transitions between rooms according to the needs of the child so that children can move on at their own pace.

Staff monitor children's progress well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They know what children can do and how they can help them to achieve their next steps. Children have room to move around safely and enjoy engaging in many interesting activities which staff have set up in different play areas.

Children are able to make independent choices about their play as staff have stored resources within easy reach.

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

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are beginning to learn to say 'please', 'thank you' and 'excuse me'.

Children learn in a well-sequenced way and staff check on children's understanding and recall before moving on. For example, during circle time, staff ask children which month comes after September and children excitedly respond 'October!' Staff are sensitive and caring towards the children. They recognise when children require extra support and attend to their needs with care and concern.

Staff support children with SEND well and they are persistent in their liaison with professionals. All children progress well as staff address any gaps in learning and take action to ensure that children meet their developmental milestones. Parents say that they are well supported and value the advice and guidance that staff give them, such as when to start potty training their children.

Children enjoy different activities set up by knowledgeable staff, and children are motivated to learn as they play. However, sometimes, staff do not extend teaching as they do not plan group activities well enough to challenge all children to a sufficient level. Children do not have the opportunity to learn as much as they could in some sessions, such as developing their early literacy skills.

Children listen attentively to stories and join in when staff ask them to copy their actions. Staff ask questions about the story and children participate eagerly as they want to know what happens next. They are developing a keen interest in books.

However, staff are not always deployed efficiently, and some children have to repeat themselves to make themselves heard.Using a mirror, children look at their faces and draw self-portraits. They are beginning to understand what makes them unique, such as when they say, 'My nose looks like a sausage.'

A world map displaying photos of family members and their home languages encourages children to talk about the world around them.Children are learning the language of emotion as staff talk to them about characters in a book and how they might feel. Staff prompt discussion so children feel comfortable talking about feelings.

Staff model language well and babies begin to learn to talk and use new words.The manager has an ambitious vision for all children, including those with SEND. The manager can recognise their own strengths and weaknesses in practice.

Working with staff, the manager puts plans in place to address weaknesses. Staff say that they feel well supported. They take advantage of the online learning provided and the information shared in regular staff meetings.

At snack time, staff promote healthy choices as they talk about different types of fruit with the children. Children cut up their fruit independently with adult support nearby, if needed. Children enjoy the challenge and when they are successful, they say, 'I can do it!'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager ensures that all staff have access to safeguarding training and keep their knowledge up to date. Staff can identify signs and symptoms of all forms of abuse and know who they should alert if they have concerns about a child's welfare. Regular staff meetings prompt safeguarding discussions so that the manager can monitor any concerns and ensure that staff are acting on them.

The manager follows strict vetting procedures when recruiting staff so that all staff are suitable to work with children. New staff receive a thorough induction to ensure that they are familiar with the nursery's safeguarding policies and procedures.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: plan group activities to enable all children to be sufficiently challenged and provide them with opportunities to extend their early literacy skills deploy staff more efficiently to enable all children to participate fully and be heard during group activities.