Squirrels Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff offer a welcoming and stimulating learning environment, where children feel safe and secure.

Children are happy and settled and enjoy their time at the nursery. They have good relationships with the staff, who are engaging and offer good support during activities. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and plan activities based on their interests and next steps in learning.

For example, children enjoy exploring play dough and use a range of tools to manipulate the dough and decorate it.Staff support children's behaviour well. They have high expectations of all children and set circle time rules, wh...ich children understand and remind each other of.

Children listen well and are kind to each other. They learn to care for each other and the environment. For example, they learn to take care of the plants in the setting and take turns in watering them each day.

Staff support children to develop their independence skills effectively. For example, at snack time children learn to cut their own fruit and serve themselves at mealtimes. Before going outside, they are also encouraged to put on their own coats and shoes.

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

The manager and staff have a good understanding of their curriculum and tailor it to meet the children's needs. Staff know the children well and plan activities based on their interests and next steps in learning. They closely monitor children's development and act swiftly to ensure there are no gaps in children's learning.

As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points.The well-established key-person system helps to ensure children are happy and settled at nursery. Children build positive relationships with the staff and their peers and have a positive attitude towards learning.

They eagerly join in with activities. They explore pumpkins in the mud kitchen as they use different tools to transfer mud into different containers.The dedicated and committed manager works well with her staff team to evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery.

They have regular meetings and together they reflect on practice and identify areas for further improvement. For example, they have recently moved premises and have created a new environment. Purposeful supervision meetings and observations of practice support staff to develop their teaching skills.

Training has a positive impact on experiences for children as staff apply their new-found knowledge and skills.Parents are complimentary about the service they receive and the care of their children. They speak highly of the staff and value the local trips their children go on.

Parents value the information the staff share with them. For example, they appreciate the photos and updates shared on the parents app.Staff support children to develop a good understanding of safety.

They talk to them about how to use equipment safely and children enjoy taking part in a daily risk assessment of the garden, as they look for risks and what they need to do to keep themselves safe.Children develop a good understanding of personal hygiene. Staff encourage them to wipe their own noses and wash their hands.

Children also remind each other about why it is so important to have clean hands before mealtimes.Staff support children effectively to develop their early literacy skills. For example, children confidently recognise their own names for self-registration and older children are encouraged to write their own names when completing artwork.

Staff plan activities around the children's 'book of the week'. For instance, children decorate pumpkins or make play dough characters based around the book. Staff also support children that speak English as an additional language well, as they read stories and teach children words in different languages.

At times, large-group times are not organised as well as possible. Children sometimes get distracted and become disengaged.Staff work effectively to develop children's communication skills.

They model language well with children, introduce new words and ask questions to extend their learning. However, at times, some staff do not allow children time to express their own ideas and try things for themselves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. They have all undertaken regular training to help them recognise possible signs and symptoms of abuse and identify when a child might need additional support. Robust recruitment procedures are in place and staff's ongoing suitability to carry out their roles and responsibilities is frequently checked.

Staff ensure that children are able to play in a safe and secure environment. They complete regular risk assessments and follow stringent policies and procedures.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of large-group activities in order to maximise children's learning opportunities and their engagement and participation levels build on the good teaching practice in place and ensure all staff give children time to express their own ideas and try things for themselves.

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