The Blue Strawberry Kids Daycare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders and managers have a very strong overview of the setting. The new management team has worked hard to address weaknesses raised at the last inspection in order to improve outcomes for children.

Children come into the setting confidently and settle quickly in this warm, welcoming and exciting environment. Staff are attentive to children's individual needs. They build secure relationships with their key children, which helps children to feel safe and valued.

Staff are passionate about the experiences they offer for every child attending. They have created highly inspiring environments that have been thoughtfully ar...ranged to capture children's interests and motivate them to learn. Pre-school children play exceptionally well together as they engage in imaginative play in the woodland scenery area.

Staff skilfully interact and question children to develop their thoughts and ideas. Babies and toddlers are curious as they explore a range of natural and sensory experiences. Staff, who speak many languages themselves, support children who speak English as an additional language exceptionally well.

Staff skilfully use words and read stories in children's home languages and repeat them in English. This helps children to feel secure and to develop a good standard of English. Staff work closely with parents and assess children in both their home language and English to make sure there are no gaps in their learning.

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

The new manager has high expectations for all staff. She works closely with the deputy manager and staff from the company's linked setting to provide effective coaching, support and mentoring. Staff are empowered to make decisions and have been involved with the developments taking place across the setting.

Focused improvement plans are ongoing. The manager recognises staff's expertise and utilises this well to offer children a range of experiences. Staff are continually developing their practice and are beginning to use video observations to reflect on the quality of their teaching and the impact on children's learning.

Overall, children's language is fostered well. Staff provide a language-rich environment. They display words and books around the room to encourage children to develop their speaking and listening skills.

Staff engage in conversations with children. They adapt their questioning techniques depending on children's level of understanding. Staff model and reinforce words to babies and younger children.

They repeat back and pronounce words correctly as babies and toddlers show emerging language. Staff respond well to the most confident children. However, at times during group activities, less confident children are not encouraged to become actively involved to help develop their confidence and concentration.

Staff are excellent role models and manage children's behaviour effectively. They encourage children to take responsibility for their environment and children show great consideration and cooperation as they help their friends to tidy away the toys. Children are well mannered and polite.

They show respect for one another and towards staff.Staff work well with parents and gain lots of information about children's backgrounds, religion and traditions. They share photographs bought in from home of celebrations, holidays and family portraits.

This sparks conversations and helps children to learn about people, places and communities beyond their own.Staff use what they know about children to plan exciting activities. Children make many independent choices and become absorbed in their play.

However, at times, staff do not provide enough challenge to help children to build even further on their learning. That said, staff help children to develop mathematical concepts. They encourage children to count and order numbers.

Children excitedly explore the fresh ingredients and dough and talk about quantities. As children initiate their own play with dinosaurs, staff encourage them to order them into size. Younger children sing number rhymes, which supports their early mathematical development.

Staff use many ways, both indoors and outside, to support younger children's fine motor skills. This helps children to build the muscle control they need to hold a pencil. There are lots of opportunities for all children to make marks with a range of tools.

Pre-school children are encouraged to write recognisable letters and to read their names. Children are gaining the skills they require to help them prepare for their future learning.Children's good health is supported well.

They independently wash their hands and know they are doing so to get rid of germs. Children learn about healthy foods as they explore a range of vegetables and are encouraged to make healthy food choices. Children have lots of opportunities to be physically active.

Staff have created exciting outdoor spaces and children enjoy climbing and balancing on the climbing areas and bridges they have developed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Robust policies and procedures are in place and implemented effectively.

There is a range of information displayed around the nursery for staff and parents to refer to if they have any concerns regarding safeguarding. All staff attend safeguarding training and demonstrate a good knowledge of the known indicators of abuse, including wider child protection issues. Rigorous records are maintained and monitored for any children with existing injuries.

Staff are confident with the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child. They are fully aware of the whistle-blowing procedures and know what to do if they are worried about staff practice.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to embed the new approach to the curriculum across the setting so that it is highly effective in providing every child with the highest levels of challenge to help them make exceptional progress in their learning review the organisation of group activities and identify how to support those children who are less confident to become deeply engaged and sustain high levels of concentration.

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