The Gateway Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settled in this friendly and welcoming nursery. Throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents have not been allowed into the building. However, familiar staff greet children at the door and take this opportunity to engage with parents and carers.

Children enter the nursery with smiles on their faces and confidently separate from their parents. They are happy to attend and enjoy playing with their friends. Children are enthusiastic and eager to join in with the good range of play opportunities available.

Staff have high expectations of all children and adjust their teaching to meet the n...eeds of individual children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language receive a high level of support from staff. Staff are kind and caring, and children have developed secure bonds with them.

For example, when visitors enter the room, younger children become shy and seek out staff for cuddles and comfort. Staff immediately respond to them and offer the necessary reassurance. This promotes children's emotional well-being.

Children behave well. They happily share toys, taking turns and including others in their play. Children use good manners, remembering to say 'please' and 'thank you' without prompts.

Pre-school children confidently greet visitors to their room, saying 'hello' and introducing themselves.

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

Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They engage children in meaningful conversations and discussions.

Staff adjust their communication style according to the child's individual needs. For example, staff use simple and clear sentences and use pictures to aid communication. This helps children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language to make good progress in readiness for their move to school.

All children make good progress in their learning.The quality of teaching in the pre-school room is particularly strong. Staff lead children exceptionally well.

For example, during a group activity, children are encouraged to take part in a quiz about animals. Staff give clues about an animal and children are encouraged to discuss these clues with their friends and decide which animal they are describing. Children show that they remember what they have been taught over the past few weeks as they confidently describe the characteristics of the different animals.

Staff know children well. They use their knowledge to plan activities that follow their current interests. Children engage well with activities.

Babies enjoy exploring different textures during play, such as jelly and water. They enjoy having familiar stories read to them. Toddlers build with blocks and show pride in their achievements as they build their towers higher and higher.

Staff plan activities to promote children's next steps in learning. However, staff do not always provide children with detailed enough explanations about the purpose of the activity or the challenges they set.Children have regular opportunities to develop their physical skills.

For example, staff create a pretend racetrack in the garden using chalks and children excitedly race on tricycles around the track, negotiating corners and other obstacles in their way. Pre-school children develop their independence. They serve themselves their snack and learn to pour their own drinks.

Staff focus on promoting children's personal, social and emotional development. They plan activities where children can talk about their feelings. They discuss how their words and actions could make others feel sad and upset.

Staff encourage children to share positive and thoughtful comments about their friends.Leaders and managers continually reflect on the quality of the provision. They use self-evaluation well to identify areas for improvement.

Staff are well supported. There is a targeted plan for training and development to help staff continually improve their skills.Parents speak highly of the nursery and the staff.

They say the staff are 'wonderful'. Parents express how they have been given regular and detailed information about their child's progress. They value the progress their children have made since attending the nursery.

Staff gain required information about each child from parents. However, routines for gaining information about what children already know and can do on entry are not fully established to enable staff to support children from the very beginning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The management team and staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They are confident with the procedure to follow to share concerns about children's welfare. Managers and staff are aware of wider safeguarding concerns, such as the 'Prevent' duty.

They have considered the safe use of mobile phones within the setting. All staff receive regular training so that they can keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Staff supervise children well and maintain a safe environment for them.

They know how to work with other professionals to help keep children in their care safe. Managers understand the importance of maintaining appropriate records to help promote children's welfare.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove communication with children during planned activities so that they are aware of the challenges being set and why nenhance the arrangements for information sharing with parents when children first start in order to inform planning from the start.