SADWICA Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time in this homely and welcoming environment.

Young children explore their surroundings with confidence. They know who to go to for comfort and reassurance, and demonstrate that they feel safe with the familiar adults. Their individual care needs are met well.

Children understand the routines and learn to become more independent. For example, they are encouraged to feed themselves, choose if they want to have a sleep and are supported, when ready, to learn to use the toilet. Children behave well and are engaged in their play experiences.

Older children are increasingly aware of others. Th...ey share resources well and take turns selecting and using the ingredients to make dough. Children's health and physical development are supported well.

There are plenty of opportunities to move, explore and enjoy space in the newly renovated garden. Funding has been used to provide a canopy area that means children can be outside in varied weathers. The nursery cook provides a range of freshly prepared meals and snacks which include lots of vegetables and fruits and comply with all special dietary requirements.

She also shares her recipes with parents to help them provide balanced and nutritious foods for their children while at home.

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

Children are cared for by a well-established staff team who work closely together. Leaders and managers respect staff's opinions and ideas, and morale is positive.

They are all involved in evaluations of practice and making plans for continuous improvements. Staff receive support and coaching and have some access to online training. However, leaders and managers are yet to make the most of opportunities to build even more on staff's skills and raise the quality of teaching to the highest levels.

Staff know all the children well and have high expectations for them. They observe and assess children's progress and plan and provide a range of activities that build on what children already know and can do.Staff follow children's interests effectively when planning new learning activities for them.

For example, older children have been eager to find out about different transport and staff arranged to take the children to visit a local car wash. This experience was extended into nursery when children went outside to wash the trikes and toy cars. They thoroughly enjoyed squeezing the sponges, splashing around in the water and making lots of bubbles.

This was enhanced further by staff adapting their practice and encouraging the children to learn new vocabulary and to recall what they had seen and done earlier in the day.Children who attend on Tuesdays benefit from weekly visits to the local library where they take part in varied activities to support their literacy skills. However, there are not enough opportunities provided at nursery to capture children's interest and encourage a fondness for books and stories.

Staff are good role models and are responsive to children's needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to find the best ways to help individual children cope with different experiences and to catch up to their peers.

Many of the children and families speak English as an additional language. Staff are very respectful and value opportunities for children to use their home languages. Children enjoy talking to their friends and listening to the different words used, and staff stay clos -by to translate if needed.

Parents are very happy with the nursery and explain how staff make them feel welcome through their friendly and approachable manner. They are keen for staff to get recognition for what they do, and express that they feel the nursery is like a second home for their children. Families are involved in the nursery experiences and look forward to different events and trips throughout the year.

For example, they loved spending the day at Barry Island, and the graduation ceremony for those children leaving nursery to go to school was a great success.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders, managers and staff have effective knowledge and understanding of child protection.

They are sensitive and proportionate, and use their professional curiosity to identify any signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. There is a vigilance around wider safeguarding issues, such as children and families being exposed to extremist views. Children are safe and secure within nursery.

Staff ensure that the environment, equipment and resources are appropriate. They complete thorough risk assessments before outings and this, along with effective supervision and deployment of staff, helps to minimise risks and keep children safe in their care.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen opportunities for staff to enhance their professional development and gain expert skills that will help them to deliver the highest quality teaching nenrich the experiences provided for all children to enjoy and respond to a variety of stories and books.