Tenderlinks Day Nursery – Wandsworth

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff have close and nurturing relationships with children. They value each child highly.

Staff get to know children well and find out about babies' likes and dislikes and their home care routines. They reflect these in activities and in the daily routine, which helps children to settle well. Staff have high expectations of children and manage their behaviour well.

They ensure that changeovers in the daily routine are calm and organised. For instance, staff give children five minutes notice before it is time to tidy up for lunch. This helps children to calmly finish their play before lunch.

Staff share group r...ules with children, such as to be kind to each other. Children behave in positive ways.All children make good progress and learn valuable skills in preparation for school.

Staff teach children good mathematical skills. They make a height chart to compare children's heights and use words such as 'taller' and 'short'. Children sort and group objects according to shape.

Staff count objects with children as they play and sing number rhymes to support their understanding of numbers. They support children to gain a good understanding of the world well. Staff teach older children the names and functions of different body parts and organs.

They plant flowers and vegetables in the garden with children to teach them how things grow.

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

Staff support children's creative development successfully. For example, they encourage babies to explore a range of materials, such as soft fabric, smooth wood and brushes.

Older children draw pictures using brightly coloured ink pens and pencils. They use play dough to make homes for toy animals, and children gain good creative skills.Children gain good independence skills.

Staff support children to use tongs to serve themselves from communal bowls at lunchtime. Children pour their own drinks and help to tidy up after eating. Staff teach younger children how to feed themselves.

Children learn to share and take turns as they use outdoor toys and equipment.Staff have very good partnerships with parents and ensure that they give them regular updates on their children's progress. Staff communicate this information in flexible and effective ways, such as by daily verbal feedback and by secure electronic messaging.

Staff give parents ideas for activities at home to support their children's learning.Leaders support and monitor staff effectively. They spend time in the group rooms assessing activities and the impact they have on children's learning.

Leaders meet with staff individually to review their work and provide support, where needed. They are keen for staff to improve their skills and knowledge and provide information on a range of courses. For instance, staff have attended a course on supporting babies' development, which has led to better outcomes in this area.

Leaders evaluate all aspects of the nursery well and set relevant goals for improvement. For example, they plan to continue to enhance the environment in the baby room to promote the best outcomes for children.Staff regard children's safety with high importance.

They carry out safety checks that cover all parts of the nursery, indoors and outdoors, to keep children safe. Leaders carry out comprehensive background checks on staff as part of the recruitment process. Staff teach children how to use cutlery with care and caution and teach them about road safety.

Children act in safe ways.Staff support children's communication, language and literacy skills effectively. They read a range of stories to children and engage them by using story props, such as puppets.

Staff sing songs and rhymes with children to help them to learn new words. They teach babies names of common objects, and children gain good communication, language and literacy skills.The nursery offers children nutritious meals and snacks provided by an external catering company.

Staff teach children about the value of eating well.Staff provide an interesting and rich curriculum for older children overall. However, they do not fully develop opportunities to encourage children's problem-solving skills to enhance their thinking skills.

Overall, staff ensure that children have opportunities to move in different ways in the outdoor garden. For instance, older children use wheeled toys to steer around the garden. Staff play ball games with children to teach them how to throw and catch.

However, this area of learning has not been fully developed to enhance children's physical skills more fully, particularly for younger children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first,

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop more problem-solving opportunities for older children to enhance their thinking skills further strengthen the curriculum to enhance children's physical development further.