St Peter’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle easily on arrival.

They form positive relationships with staff and other children. Children engage in activities with a strong interest and sustain this well. They are developing awareness of their own and others feelings and how to manage these.

For instance, children and staff talk about pictures representing different emotions. In addition, children learn about the behaviour expectations, such as 'kind hands'. Children develop good levels of confidence and self-esteem.

They receive regular praise and encouragement, which helps to motivate their learning.Children with special educational need...s and/or disabilities (SEND) receive well-planned and tailored help to meet their needs. Most staff confidently use Makaton alongside words with all children to support their communication and understanding.

This particularly supports those with SEND and also those learning English as an additional language. In addition, all children learn to use Makaton. For instance, toddlers learn signs through their daily interactions with staff and while reading stories.

Staff are attentive to children. For example, babies thoroughly enjoyed a 'sing-and-sign' session. Pre-school children develop early reading skills for the future.

For instance, with a staff member, they used picture cards to create a story. Overall, children receive good quality support and teaching from staff to help them gain skills and knowledge for the next stage of their learning. Furthermore, some staff, at times provide teaching of an even higher quality.

However, this is not consistent across the staff team.

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

Staff are enthusiastic in their work. They say they are supported well by the managers.

Staff have regular opportunities to talk about their work, including through individual supervision meetings and team meetings. The managers are proactive in supporting staff's professional development. They identify training to support staff to develop their practice.

For instance, staff watch in-house video tutorials.The managers and staff have a clear understanding about what they want children to learn. There is a strong focus on supporting children's social and language skills following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, through focused small-group activities. These help children develop skills securely, including turn taking and listening.The curriculum is mostly planned well to enable children to continually build on their skills and knowledge.

Overall, staff implement the expected learning intentions consistently. However, at times, staff do not build on children's developing skills as well as possible. For instance, the independence encouraged in the toddler room is occasionally not continued consistently in the next room.

The senior manager has implemented tools to help staff accurately assess and plan for children's learning. This helps staff identify and focus on specific areas where children may need support, to promote their progress.There are strong partnerships with parents.

The staff and managers support for parents is highly evident. This includes working with other professionals to offer consistent guidance to parents. For example, about feeding and sleeping routines for babies, which supports their well-being and good health.

On entry, staff gain effective information from parents to meet their child's needs. Parents receive ongoing feedback about their children's days and activities. For instance, staff explain and provide information to parents about their child's progress and development.

Staff provide a wide range of information to help parents successfully continue their children's learning at home.Staff plan and offer a range of activities which engage children well. For example, babies showed curiosity when they explored textured books with staff.

Pre-school children take part in many adult-led activities. Some of these activities extend their learning very well, such as helping them understand and follow instructions. However, at times, these activities reduce children's opportunities to use their own ideas.

Staff help children recognise their uniqueness, such as through using some key words in home languages.There are very strong links with other professionals to support children with SEND. Staff quickly identify gaps in children's learning.

They signpost parents to appropriate professionals to help gain further advice. The nursery's special educational needs coordinators support staff effectively to implement and review individual educational plans for children. This helps to monitor children's progress very closely and to revise these plans when needed.

This helps children make the progress they are capable of. Additional funding is used well to support children's needs. For example, staff complete training specific to children's needs and implement new strategies to support them.

In addition, activity bags have been created for children to use at home to support their learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff supervise children closely to promote their well-being and safety.

They follow expected procedures to keep them safe. For example, implementing the mobile phone policy securely and counting children back into the room when they come in from the garden. The managers and staff demonstrate a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

They know how to manage concerns, including those relating to other staff and wider safeguarding matters, such as the 'Prevent' duty. The managers work closely with outside agencies when required and provide effective support to families, to help promote children's well-being and welfare.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on staff's awareness of how to consistently implement the curriculum learning intentions, including ensuring children continually practise and develop their skills over time, to help extend their learning even further provide children with more opportunities to use their own ideas, to further enhance their play and learning.