The Learning Journey Day Nursery Waterfront

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of experiences children receive while attending this nursery is variable.

Staff do not always organise routines and activities well enough to ensure that children gain the most from them. The curriculum is planned to support every child's individual learning need and stage of development. However, this is not consistently implemented in practice by all staff.

In addition, some hygiene practices do not fully support children's good health. That said, children benefit from warm interactions with staff, who are kind and caring. They offer cuddles and support when children are upset or anxious.

Children d...evelop their communication. Staff read stories to them, and children are able to join in with familiar phrases. Pre-school children can retell their favourite stories and recall what happens next.

Staff working with the younger children and babies sing familiar songs. They use animal props to encourage babies to name the animals and make the corresponding sound. However, there are also occasions when staff do not recognise that children are not interested in the story.

They continue to read while children get up and wander around. In addition, the organisation of the rooms at story time sometimes means that the noise level is too high for children to hear what is being read. This impacts on their understanding and enjoyment of books.

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

The manager is experienced and knowledgeable. She reflects on the provision offered and has recently reorganised the layout of the nursery to try to better meet the needs of the children. She models good practice and offers advice to staff on how to manage activities.

However, when the manager is not present or in rooms, the deputy managers do not consistently consolidate this good practice. They do not deploy staff appropriately or ensure that activities and routines are organised well enough. Consequently, at times, rooms are chaotic, with little for children to do.

There have been recent changes within the nursery due to a new company taking over. The nursery is in a stage of transition, and the new procedures and expectations for the curriculum are not yet embedded in practice. This impacts on the quality of experiences that children currently receive.

That said, the manager is able to swiftly recognise the weaknesses in practice and understands what procedures need to be put in place to improve.Recruitment and induction procedures are robust to ensure that all staff working with the children are deemed suitable to do so. The manager carries out supervision meetings and observations of staff to identify where areas for improvement are needed.

Staff attend mandatory and specific training to further their professional development. Staff well-being is given high priority. Staff benefit from 'well-being Wednesday' and staff appreciation week.

Hygiene practice throughout the nursery is not good enough. Staff fail to notice when children's noses need wiping. In addition, when they do wipe noses, they do not always dispose of tissues appropriately, and they put dirty tissues into their own pockets.

Staff do not consistently wash their hands after wiping noses or wash resources when the mucus from children's noses has gone onto them. Furthermore, staff place clean washing, including the sheets for children's beds, onto the dirty floor before putting it away. This does not support children's good health.

The special educational needs coordinator is knowledgeable about her role. She works in partnership with other professionals and outside agencies to ensure that children receive additional support where needed. Funding is spent appropriately to provide children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) with additional resources, such as a sensory room.

However, there are times throughout the day when children with SEND are not included in activities as much as they could be.Children enjoy the time that they spend outdoors. They develop their physical skills as they balance, jump, ride bicycles and climb small ladders.

They concentrate as they use sponges to wash the bicycles with soapy water. When staff introduce a familiar story, children excitedly join in as they pretend to walk through squishy grass and a river to hunt the bear.Staff share information with parents to keep them informed of what their child is doing at nursery.

They provide bags with books and activities for children to share with their families and extend their learning at home. Parents are happy with the care and learning that their children receive.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date embed the newly implemented changes to ensure all staff fully understand the expectations of the curriculum and provide a wide range of stimulating activities that fully support children's individual learning 31/05/2024 ensure that good hygiene practices are consistently followed by staff throughout the day 30/04/2024 provide the deputies with support and training to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities, including recognising how to deploy staff appropriately and organise routines and activities throughout the day more effectively.31/05/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to support children with SEND even more, so that they are included in activities to help them make the very best progress they are capable of.

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