Sceptre Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settled in the nursery and show that they feel safe. They demonstrate high self-esteem as they confidently approach visitors to tell them about the schools they will soon attend.

Staff's sensitive interactions with babies help them to build strong attachments and gain confidence. Staff help children build independence skills as they progress through the nursery. They develop key life skills, which help them in readiness for their move on to the 'big' room at age two and then for their eventual move on to school.

Children behave well and follow well-embedded routines. They understand expectations ...of them and respond quickly to requests from staff, for example, to help tidy up. Children lead their own play and keenly join planned group activities.

They patiently wait their turn to roll a ball to knock down stacked tin cans. Staff weave mathematics through activities, helping children count the tin cans and write their scores in chalk on the ground. Children demonstrate good understanding of mathematical concepts and number.

Staff help children embed and build on their learning by referring to earlier activities. For instance, children recall planting an acorn and a conker and proudly show their sapling oak and horsechestnut trees to visitors. Staff plan a broad curriculum to suit children's needs.

Children make good progress in all areas of their learning.

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

Staff support children's physical development well. They help babies practise their new skills, encouraging them to climb the gentle slopes in their outdoor area.

Older children confidently ride bicycles and balance on beams, building their large muscles. They cut complex shapes with scissors, demonstrating effective fine motor skills, which help to prepare them for early writing. Staff ensure that children moving on to school have well-practised self-care skills.

Children enjoy stories and songs throughout the nursery. Babies are excited to join in and 'row-the-boat' enthusiastically with staff. They engage in back-and-forth interactions with staff and are delighted when staff join their 'conversations'.

Older children sit with staff and listen attentively to their favourite stories. They are chatty and articulate. Children are confident in their communication skills.

The manager and the special educational needs coordinator work hard to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For instance, they implement strategies to help children with SEND make progress while referrals for additional support are pending. Children and families who speak English as an additional language are offered appropriate support.

Additional funding is spent appropriately to benefit individual children. All children and families are supported well, according to their individual requirements.Children learn how they are each unique and about celebrations from different cultures.

For example, they learn about the Three Kings Day celebrations in Spain and learn key words from their friends' home languages. This helps support children's understanding of our diverse world.Partnerships with parents are well established.

Staff communicate effectively with parents and keep them informed of their children's progress. Leaders ask for parents' opinions to help develop the nursery further. Parents feel involved in their children's development, which helps to maintain consistency of care and learning.

Staff plan for children's learning incorporating children's experiences from home. Staff also bridge gaps in children's experiences well. For example, staff create a 'beach' with sand and water play for children who have not had this experience with their families.

Activities, such as dance and sports classes, help to broaden all children's scope of experience.The manager and staff work well as a team and are committed to their roles. This contributes to the happy and calm environment, which supports children's learning well.

The manager sources training for staff to enhance their knowledge based on the needs of the children attending. While staff are supported well overall, the manager does not always pinpoint areas for individual staff's personal and professional development. This makes it difficult for leaders to monitor improvements in staff's practice over time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff have a sound understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. They understand how to identify children who may be at risk of harm and how to refer on concerns appropriately.

Leaders and staff understand the importance of whistle-blowing and know how to report any concerns about the behaviour of colleagues. Staff teach children about potential online dangers in an age-appropriate way and help them learn to keep themselves safe. Recruitment and induction procedures are sound and help to ensure all staff are suitable.

The premises and clean and free from hazards. Children's ongoing safety is promoted well.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide staff with precisely targeted areas for personal and professional development to help monitor improvements in practice over time.