The Fordingbridge Day Nursery and Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff welcome the families into the nursery. Families go into their designated rooms and the child's key person is quick to welcome them. Staff know the children well.

Children settle quickly and engage in the exciting activities set up for them. These activities are thoughtfully planned to meet the children's needs and interests. For example, children flip pancakes made from play dough.

This develops their strength in their hands, as well as extending their language development through meaningful discussions around pancake day. Children enjoy the range of activities provided. They are happy and safe in this nursery....r/>
Staff follow an ambitious curriculum which is set out by the management team. Staff plan to meet the next steps in children's learning and development. There is clear sequencing in children's learning from babies up to pre-school.

For example, children's independence skills are introduced to babies through encouragement to feed themselves. As they move up, they are responsible of their own belongings. In pre-school they are beginning to meet their own basic needs independently.

For instance, children learn to meet their toileting needs and dress themselves. All children have access to a broad and interesting range of activities, indoors and out, that successfully support their learning and development.

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

Staff feel extremely supported by their management team.

Managers have high expectations for their staff and support their well-being. Staff extend their professional development, through training and qualifications. For instance, staff have completed qualifications to expand on the opportunities available for children, such as forest school.

Managers hold regular supervision meetings with staff to discuss strategies to improve practice. The quality of teaching is constantly improving.Staff promote communication and language development throughout the whole nursery.

Staff teach children new words and explain what they are doing. For example, staff manipulate play dough and saying, 'squish the play dough' and 'squeeze the play dough'. Staff sing with the children and teach them the actions; children enjoy these times.

Staff promote a love for reading. Children enjoy listening to stories. Each room has a book of the week, that they share with the children.

Children communicate well with their adults and peers.Children generally behave well. They know the rules in their classroom, which are appropriate for their age.

Staff try to help children understand and manage their emotions. However, due to inconsistencies in staffing, particularly in the pre-school room, there is not a consistent approach to managing behaviour. Consequently, children's behaviour deteriorates during transition times.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well.They can identify when there is a specific need and promptly put interventions in place to support that child. The nursery provides support for families from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Staff use funding to support those children's development. For example, managers buy resources to support children's imaginative play, such as baby dolls. This builds on their social skills.

All children are making good progress in their learning and development.Children follow regular hygiene routines successfully. For instance, children wash their hands in preparation for food.

After eating they use wet towels to clean their face. Staff support children with toileting, and ensure children are clean and dry throughout the day. The nursery provides a healthy range of foods for the children.

Staff talk to children about the different food groups. However, some children find mealtimes challenging. Children are waiting a long time to receive their meals and therefore are becoming easily distracted, particularly in the pre-school room.

Staff have good partnerships with parents. Parents are happy with the care provided and find staff supportive. The nursery welcomes their families into the setting for 'stay and play' sessions and celebrations, such as Mother's Day.

Staff share regular updates with the families on their children's development through an online system. Staff set challenges for children to do at home to further their learning. For example, children identify objects at home that are circle shape and/or the colour orange.

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: support staff to provide a more consistent approach to managing children's behaviour review and improve the organisation of mealtimes to make it easier for children to focus without unnecessary distractions.