The Mulberry Bush Waterlooville

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle quickly and securely. They have good attachments with staff, which helps them feel safe and secure.

They are eager to attend and progress well in their learning. Children's communication and language are supported well. They learn a range of words as staff introduce new vocabulary into activities.

Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. Children have many opportunities to express themselves through arts and crafts and develop good pre-writing skills. They explore different tools and show curiosity as they mix paints using rollers.

Older children give meaning to the marks they... make in play foam.Children behave well. They show mutual respect as they listen and share how they are feeling and why they are feeling that way.

Children begin to understand how to keep themselves healthy. They show excitement as they start their day with 'brain gym'. They understand the importance of waking their bodies up and getting their muscles warm.

As a result of COVID-19, more permanent changes have been made to the way children are dropped and collected at nursery. Children have responded well to the changes of routine.

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

The management team have created a curriculum that is ambitious for all children.

Successful transitions ensure children build on the skills they have previously learned, which helps them make good progress.The management team share the responsibility to monitor the quality of staff practice. They complete supervisions and provide feedback, which helps staff develop.

However, less experienced staff, such as apprentices, are not always provided with enough specific support to help them grow and develop in their roles. This hinders the impact their teaching has on children.Staff know the interests and development needs of the children.

They plan purposeful activities which children are keen and eager to participate in. However, staff do not consistently understand children's cultures to share and celebrate their uniqueness with others. This does not fully support children's developing understanding of similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Assessments are used well by staff to monitor children's progress. They use what they know about children and seek further support from other professionals when required.Staff support children to understand their emotions and how they can manage these.

They provide children with soothing and relaxing play areas, which they gravitate to. Children choose to spend time watching bubble machines and enjoying stories. These spaces are particularly effective for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Children develop well physically. They take part in yoga sessions and share that it makes them feel calm. Children have access to a range of engaging activities.

They show good levels of strength and coordination as they climb apparatus, slide down planks and balance on beams.Staff promote opportunities for children to learn good independence skills. The youngest of children help find their nappies for changing, while older children scrape their own plates after lunch.

Children with SEND show good attention and listening. For example, during an activity called 'bucket time', they maintain high levels of concentration, participation and enjoyment. Staff introduce familiar objects and the sounds they make, such as a whizzing balloon.

With support from staff, children with SEND approach new activities confidently.Staff know what they teach and are confident to build children's vocabulary. For example, during water play they support children to understand the meaning behind words, such as 'floating' and 'sinking'.

Parent partnership is strong. Parents play an active role in the setting through a parent committee, which helps share two-way information and create a nursery community. Parents share that their children have built nurturing attachments to their key person.

They comment that their children like to have their own responsibilities at home and show their independence skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and demonstrates she is competent to do so.

She has successfully made child protection referrals and understands the action she must take should she or her team have a safeguarding concern about a child. Staff have a good knowledge of their own responsibilities to safeguard children and know how to share information appropriately. Robust safer recruitment is in place for hiring new staff and all staff have suitability checks.

The premises are safe and secure and risk assessed frequently. Staff are deployed well to ensure children are well supervised.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the support systems in place for staff, particularly apprentices, to enable them to grow and develop and fully support children's learning nenhance staff understanding of children's cultures and review how their uniqueness is shared and celebrated with others.