The Avenue Private Day Care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are excited as they arrive at this positive nursery. They run inside and settle quickly, engaging in the inviting experiences on offer. Older children begin their day by enthusiastically choosing between a hug, a dance or a 'high five'.

Staff know the children well. They offer children a lot of praise and reassurance. Children are happy and feel safe in this caring nursery.

Children confidently remember what they have been taught. They talk about how spiders manage to climb walls and make webs. Children build on what they know by carefully using binoculars to look for spiders outside and squealing with excitem...ent as they find one.

Staff spark children's interests and encourage them to make predictions as children transport honey using syringes. Children make good progress from their starting points and are developing positive attitudes to learning. Children are thoughtful and caring towards their friends.

They help each other to find their coats and offer cuddles when their friends fall over. Children use good manners without needing to be reminded and respond positively to staff's high expectations and daily routines. For example, toddlers wait patiently in a line to go outside and older children independently share resources.

Children behave well and are supported to manage their feelings by the calm, nurturing staff.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are incredibly well supported. The knowledgeable staff are committed to ensuring that the children receive the help they need from the moment they join the nursery.

The manager and staff engage with a multitude of professionals, providing families with support and advice. Staff are reflective and respond immediately to any advice they receive from specialist professionals. Children with SEND make significant progress from their starting points.

Staff support children to develop their understanding of early mathematical concepts. They frequently link mathematics into the children's play. For example, staff ask children to describe the shapes they can see on the robot they have made.

Children learn how to make marks to represent their calculations. For example, as children count the cars that are driving past the window, they draw a mark to represent each car and add up how many they saw altogether. Children can count with confidence and are ready for the next stage in their learning.

Children are given an abundance of opportunities to practise their physical skills. They run around outside and improve their coordination as they balance on the climbing equipment. Children benefit from accessing regular swimming lessons at the local pool.

They proudly tell visitors that they can now swim 10 metres without any supporting aids.Staff support children to make healthy choices. They teach children about the importance of being physically active, having time to rest and eating a range of nutritious foods.

Children use a timer to help them understand when they have had enough screen time. They say that eating apples will make them strong. Children are developing their understanding of what it means to be healthy.

Parent partnership is a strength of this nursery. Staff speak to parents about their children's development and offer advice about how to support their learning at home. Parents feel that the personalised adaptations that staff put in place make a significant difference to their children's progress.

Parents say that the nursery is 'like a family' and that they are extremely grateful for the support the nursery provides.Staff plan activities that focus on developing children's language. Staff engage in many conversations with children and model high level vocabulary to them.

Children use the new words they have learned when talking to visitors. For example, they describe the fruit they are eating as 'tangy and sour'. Children's language and communication is developing well.

Staff are reflective and strive to make continuous improvements to the nursery. However, staff do not always notice where adaptations are needed in their practice to ensure that all children remain engaged and are consistently being challenged. Coaching and other professional development opportunities have not yet focused on supporting staff to develop the skills needed to be able to do this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders have robust recruitment systems in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. They ensure that all staff receive regular training on child protection.

Staff know what actions to take if they have any concerns about children's welfare. They teach children about risks during tidy-up time as they talk about making the room safe and clear of hazards.

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 be able to evaluate their practice and to recognise where adaptations are needed, so that all children remain engaged and are consistently being challenged.