Serendipity Nursery And Outdoor Learning

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children run into nursery when they arrive, eager and enthusiastic. They are keen to talk with staff and engage with their peers about the activities for the day ahead. When children first start at the nursery, staff work diligently to ensure parents feel confident.

Staff support children to form secure bonds with their key person and other staff. They provide children with consistent guidance at a level appropriate for their stage of development. Children share their thoughts and feelings without hesitation as they learn how to manage their emotions.

They talk about what makes them happy and sad. Children develop skil...ls in sharing and taking turns with their peers. Staff have high expectations for every child to reach their full potential.

They are very attentive to the needs of children in their care. Staff watch, listen and swiftly respond to them at appropriate times. For example, they notice the early signs that babies are hungry or tired.

Staff respond to these, for example by sitting with children in a quiet cosy area so that they can sleep. Children show they understand good hygiene as they discuss handwashing. They give particular attention to this when moving from outside to inside, after digging in the garden.

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

Parents are highly valued as partners. Staff work diligently to ensure that parents are kept informed about every aspect of their child's progress. Throughout the pandemic, staff provided resources for parents to extend children's learning at home and support progress.

Parents speak very positively about the provision. They warmly describe the friendliness of the staff team and how happy their children are to attend. Parents comment that 'staff go above and beyond to ensure that children make progress and enjoy their learning'.

Staff provide a rich, engaging and accessible environment that fosters independent learning and exploration. Children can move freely between activities and have free access to an exciting outdoor learning environment. Babies thrive, as caring staff gently support them to develop balance and coordination, take early steps and safely negotiate steps and ramps.

Children giggle with delight as they master these skills.Children form strong emotional attachments with their key person and seek help from adults in their self-chosen activities. For instance, they seek support when reading books and enjoy this personal intimate time with staff.

Behaviour throughout the nursery is good. Staff use positive and age-appropriate strategies to manage children's behaviour effectively. They are positive role models and offer constant praise and encouragement to children.

The manager has high expectations for quality and through self-evaluation sets a clear direction for future improvements. Staff share good practice through peer observations and have regular supervision sessions to discuss children's progress, including how they can support children's learning effectively.Throughout the nursery all children, including those in receipt of funding, children with additional needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress.

Staff complete regular observations and assessments, looking at where the children are in their learning and development. They use this information effectively to plan interesting and exciting activities to support children's next stage of development.Staff give high priority to developing children's communication and language skills.

From the youngest age, staff model language for children to hear and copy. During activities, staff support children to predict what will happen and why. For example, children enjoy making perfume using a range of resources from the garden.

They discuss the varying smells and how they change when other ingredients are added, and are delighted with the results.Although teaching is good overall, occasionally, staff do not fully consider how they can challenge children to learn as much as possible from them. For instance, during some adult-led activities, some staff overlook the opportunity to further extend children's understanding of measure and size.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a sound knowledge understanding of how to ensure that children are kept safe. Rigorous and robust recruitment procedures are in place for all staff.

Staff are supported through training on various aspects of safeguarding at induction, through additional training and during staff meetings. They undertake regular risk assessments of the nursery environment and any issues are addressed. Staff support children to understand safety in their play.

Children take measured risks. For example, staff show them how to use knives safely as they cut fruit and vegetables.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to fine tune their teaching skills, so that they all understand how to reshape activities to challenge children and help them achieve as much as possible.