S4YC @ Portside

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy at the nursery.

They are welcomed by warm, friendly staff at the door. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children confidently leave their parents with big smiles on their faces.

They settle to play quickly with their friends. Children learn many new skills, which help to support their development and next stage in their education. For example, children's communication and language is a high priority for the nursery.

They are taught simple sign language alongside vocabulary to support their language acquisition. Children are provided with many opportunities to be physically acti...ve outdoors. They enjoy exploring the climbing frame, digging in the mud kitchen, riding bicycles and scooters.

Some children have mastered walking on low level stilts. Children squeal with delight at their achievements. Children's interests are planned for through play-based activities, such as role play, water play, dinosaurs and number activities.

This helps to motivate and excite them to learn. Staff have identified that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on children's social skills. As a result, children benefit from opportunities, such as playing games and small group work, to develop turn taking.

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

The curriculum is ambitious, well planned and based on children's interests. Staff support the learning of their key children well. They know what children can do and what they need to do next.

For example, children play in the water play singing 'Five Little Ducks' and develop their counting skills. Staff support children in their play. This helps to ensure all children make good progress.

The indoor and outdoor environments are carefully planned. Children enjoy accessing a balance of planned adult-led activities, such as the parachute game. As well as leading their own play, for example selecting resources independently to draw.

This helps engage children and maximise their learning.Routines are well developed across the nursery. Children wait patiently at the table for their food to be served.

They demonstrate good table manners and social skills as they enjoy their healthy snack. Young children master the skill of using a spoon to eat their yoghurt. This ensures snack time is a pleasant experience for all children.

Staff develop positive relationships with the children. Generally, they have high expectations for children's behaviour. This ensures the environment usually remains calm.

However, on occasion some children struggle to regulate their emotions and behaviour. For example, children become frustrated when they cannot put their coats on. Staff do not always effectively teach the children how their behaviour can have an impact on others and how to develop self-regulation skills.

Leaders and staff know their families well. They gather information about every child when they start the nursery through an 'all about me' booklet. This ensures staff can plan effectively to support children's interests and prior experiences.

However, staff do not always support children to learn about different cultures, religions and faiths other than their own. This limits their understanding and appreciation of diversity.Parents speak highly of the nursery and the support they receive from the staff.

Parents value the face-to-face communication they receive at the beginning and end of each day from their child's key person. They are very happy with the progress their children are making, especially with their speaking and confidence.Staff well-being is a high priority for the leaders.

Staff feel passionate about their job and are appreciative of the support they receive through staff supervision. They have access to online training, which ensures they are kept up to date with mandatory training as well as acquiring new skills in other areas. This ensures staff are continually developing their practice to support children's learning further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of the policies, procedures and actions they need to take to keep children safe. They are aware of the possible signs which may indicate a child is at risk of harm.

Staff know and feel comfortable with the procedures to follow if they have a whistle-blowing concern. They undertake daily risk assessment checks to ensure the nursery remains a safe place for children. All staff are trained in paediatric first aid.

Health care plans are in place for children who require them. This helps to ensure all children are safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide opportunities for the children to learn about different cultures, religions and faiths support children to learn how to regulate their behaviour and understand how this can have an impact on others.