Sam Morris Centre Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager and staff provide an environment where each child is valued and listened to. Children eagerly come into nursery and engage in play with their friends quickly. Staff offer a warm welcome to children and parents, and they exchange relevant information effectively.

Children are happy and secure, and are eager to engage in the varied learning activities to support their progress. Older children enjoy listening to familiar stories. Younger children take part in singing sessions, following actions with anticipation and delight.

Staff have high expectations for all children and offer praise and encouragement as th...ey play. They celebrate children's achievements and encourage children to persevere at tasks. For example, with reassurance, young children climb on a small climbing frame outside.

They smile and show pride in their achievements when they reach the top. Staff are excellent role models; they are gentle, kind and respectful in their interactions. Children are polite and behave well.

They begin to understand and follow rules and learn to look after the resources. Children are curious and ask questions. They learn to tend to their own personal needs with gentle encouragement and support.

This contributes to their self-confidence, particularly in preparation for school.

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

Staff plan each session carefully, ensuring children have opportunities to experience a wide variety of activities. They know each child well and adapt their interactions with them to extend the skills of each individual.

Staff have easy access to resources and so they extend and follow children's interests quickly. However, teaching of mathematics is not as strong and opportunities are often missed to extend children's learning in this area, despite the nursery having a good variety of resources.Staff provide good opportunities for children to play and independently learn together.

For example, the older children enjoy showing younger children how to care for the dolls as they change their nappies. Younger children watch attentively. However, there are times when not all staff consistently help children to understand and learn effectively what is expected of them.

For example, when it is tidy-up time, not all children are supported and encouraged to join in or understand what they should be doing, which unsettles younger children.The manager creates a supportive work environment. Staff meet regularly with the manager to discuss their key children and workloads, and raise their ideas for activities and planning.

Staff provide children with healthy meals and encourage children to be physically active. For example, older children enjoy the challenge of an assault course where they are able to practise their jumping, crawling and balancing skills.Additionally, staff explain to children why we take turns and the impact of their actions on others.

As a result, children talk about their hands are for 'helping and being kind to their friends'.The well-designed curriculum is based on what staff know about the children so that it builds on their learning. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments.

Staff work effectively to develop children's communication skills. For example, children were intrigued to learn another name for a 'spoon' was a 'ladle' during a pumpkin-soup activity, and children were keen to repeat the new word in their play.Parents speak positively about the nursery.

They explain that they chose the setting due to the staff's kind and caring manner with the children. Parents feel their children are supported individually, which helps them to be ready for their next stage in learning.An administrative error resulted in Ofsted not receiving information about the new trust members.

The chair of the trust is committed to rectifying this situation without delay.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Despite the confusion about how to add new trust members to the registration, the recruitment and vetting of staff working with children are robust.

All staff know what signs and symptoms might indicate that a child is at risk of harm. They understand how to identify and report any concerns they may have about a child's welfare. Staff have an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the 'Prevent' duty guidance.

Staff carry out risk assessments of the environment, to minimise any hazards. Children are able to take age-appropriate risks to support their understanding of safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's teaching skills to further enhance children's opportunities to improve their mathematical skills continue to help younger children understand what is expected of them, especially during daily routines.