Riverside Nursery Schools - Grosvenor House

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The provider is rebuilding the staff team following the management restructure. Senior leaders model good practice to less-experienced staff.

However, some staff are unsure of what they want children to learn. They are not skilled enough to build on what children already know, and they do not have as high expectations of what individual children can achieve. The quality of teaching across the nursery is inconsistent.

As a result, children are not making the progress they are capable of. Nevertheless, experienced staff interact with children well. They skilfully extend children's vocabulary and recall previous experiences ...to encourage conversations.

Staff are kind and caring and welcome children into the nursery. Children arrive smiling and are ready to explore a range of activities on offer. They make close bonds with staff and feel happy and safe in their presence.

Staff teach children to be kind and caring towards one another and respect each other's differences. Children learn to share and behave well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support from leaders to meet their needs and help them prepare for the next stage of learning.

Parents report being happy with the care and information-sharing with staff about their children's care and learning. This helps to provide continuity in children's learning and development.

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

The provider has taken appropriate steps to meet the previous breaches of the requirements.

Safeguarding children is a priority. The management team ensures that adults looking after children are suitable and have appropriate qualifications and training to fulfil their roles. The management team and staff understand how to identify and report concerns about children and staff, in line with the local safeguarding partnership.

This helps to protect children's welfare.The management team seeks support from the local authority advisers to improve the overall quality of the setting. The management team has started to provide guidance and supervision for staff to enhance the quality of teaching.

However, this has been inconsistent for some time, and some staff do not have appropriate skills to build on children's learning.Planning and implementation of the curriculum are variable. Some staff do not consider children's abilities and interests when planning for children's learning.

They lack teaching skills to build on children's learning and development. Nevertheless, some children use their imagination as they play. For example, during a sensory activity, children pretend to make pancakes and talk about what they will put on top.

The key-person system works effectively. Staff know the children well and support them when they first join and when it is time for them to move to the next room. Children show they are happy and content in their key person's presence and often approach them for cuddles.

Children learn about the importance of keeping healthy, including through a healthy diet and regular access to the outdoors. Staff provide opportunities for children to be physically active. For example, children ride on scooters, use a climbing frame and move to music with confidence.

Children have opportunities to make marks and be creative. This supports their small-muscle movements in preparation for early writing. Children develop a love of books and approach staff when they would like to be read to.

This supports children's early literacy skills. However, children who speak English as an additional language have limited opportunities to hear their home language in their play and learning.Staff support children's independence and teach them how to manage some simple tasks themselves.

Staff teach younger children how to wash their hands correctly. However, this is inconsistent in some rooms. Staff do not give clear messages to children about the importance of handwashing.

The management team develops partnerships with other professionals to help support children with SEND.Not all staff are skilled enough to engage and challenge children in learning. This is also evident during some daily routines, such as mealtimes.

There are occasions when children become bored and restless. However, skilled staff know how to engage children, including through reading, and they soon become settled.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure all staff know what they want children to learn and consider children's abilities and interests when planning for their learning and ensure the curriculum is fully ambitious and challenging for all children to help them make consistently good progress.22/11/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the support provided for less-experienced staff to help them become confident teachers build on current opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to hear their home language in their play and learning give consistent messages to children about the importance of handwashing to fully support their understanding of good hygiene routines.