Royal Village Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and really enjoy their time at nursery. Babies are curious and explore the indoor gym area.

They are able to challenge their physical skills as they climb up stairs and crawl through tunnels. Babies are highly motivated to start walking and pull themselves up on equipment. They beam with pride as staff offer them warm and enthusiastic praise.

Babies squeal and laugh with delight as a rocking horse lights up and makes different noises. They sway to the rhythm of songs that staff sing to them about horses. Babies are starting to learn the words in songs.

They feel safe and secure in the nurtur...ing care of staff. Older children relish their time in the garden in the very windy weather. They race around on cars and tricycles and negotiate traffic cones.

Children thoroughly enjoy playing at sand and water tables. They concentrate as they move around an obstacle course and balance carefully across logs and tyres. Children focus as they write on the outdoor chalkboard.

They start to write their names and staff encourage them to try new letters and words. Children are very well behaved and are learning to take turns and share.

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

Staff provide children with interesting and stimulating activities that help them to learn.

For example, children explore giant blocks of ice that have toy animals and glitter frozen inside them. They learn new words, such as 'melting' and 'dripping', as staff teach them about how the ice changes form. Children thoroughly enjoy chopping up the ice and breaking it into smaller pieces.

They examine how it feels and are fully absorbed in their learning. However, occasionally, staff miss opportunities to extend children's early mathematical skills through their play.Partnerships with parents are strong.

Parents are delighted with the support and care their children receive from staff. They are happy with the progress children make. Parents comment that staff 'really take the time to get to know children'.

They take their unique personalities into account. Staff follow settling-in procedures that are individual to each child and family. They work closely with parents.

Staff conduct observations to find what stage children are at in their development. This helps to ensure that children settle quickly and confidently. They make rapid progress right from the start.

Children excitedly paint with rollers. They roll the wheels of their cars in paint and focus on the pattern they make. Children explore the texture of the paint with their fingers.

They eagerly make hand prints on paper. Staff extend their learning and teach them the colours of the paint. However, staff do not always adapt activities to ensure that all children access the rich learning opportunities.

For example, the very youngest children are not able to fully engage in painting.The manager supports the team of staff well. She provides them with training and coaching to extend their skills and expertise.

The manager is proactive and takes on board feedback from staff, parents and children. She swiftly implements changes and is always looking at ways to improve. Staff are a close-knit team and work together well.

They are excellent role models to children.Children learn the skills they need to be highly independent. For example, they help staff to set the table for lunch.

Children collect their own chairs after they have washed their hands. They help themselves to lunch and are able to use ladles to spoon out vegetables and beans. They are gaining an early understanding of what makes them unique.

Staff help children to respect differences in others. For example, they visit a local care home and spend time with older residents. Children learn about different festivals and beliefs celebrated by people in their community.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are particularly well supported. Staff work closely with parents and outside agencies to help children to make very good progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager places a high priority on making sure that children are safe and this is well managed throughout the nursery. Staff attend regular training and their knowledge of child protection is updated and refreshed in staff meetings. Staff know the signs and symptoms to look for and the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare.

The manager conducts safer recruitment procedures and checks that staff remain suitable in their roles. New staff complete a thorough induction to confirm their suitability to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide further opportunities for children to extend their early mathematical skills strengthen the organisation of activities to ensure that all children benefit fully from the rich learning opportunities.