The Old Rectory Nursery Barwell Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children form warm relationships with staff, who are kind and caring. They provide reassurance, comfort and cuddles when needed to help children feel secure and settled. Staff provide a range of resources, indoors and outdoors, that take account of children's interests.

However, leaders and staff do not consistently plan and implement an ambitious curriculum to help children build on what they already know and need to learn next. At times, staff do not provide the quality interactions that children need to be involved in learning and to build their knowledge and skills to a good level. Nevertheless, in the main, children are happy... and enjoy their time at nursery.

Younger children are helped to dress up as different animals. Children delight as they 'roar' like tigers and lions. Staff support older children use tape to create roads on the carpet for toy cars to drive up and down.

Children mostly play well together. Staff remind children of their expectations for behaviour. They encourage children to share and take turns during activities and offer lots of praise and encouragement.

Older children show that they are familiar with the routine. For example, they know to stop what they are doing and help to tidy up when staff shake a tambourine.

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

Leaders and staff do not have a confident understanding of how to plan an effective curriculum or how to ensure that this is implemented consistently and effectively.

Although staff are aware of what children enjoy, not all staff understand exactly what it is they want children to learn when they plan and provide activities. This means that children are not consistently offered an appropriate level of challenge to sustain their interest in activities and build on their learning.Staff in the main interact positively with children.

However, they do not always focus their attention on those children who may need more support to join in. There are periods when some children are left on the periphery of activities. During these times, their learning is not being extended.

Consequently, not all children benefit from staff's consistent support to ensure they make the progress they are capable of.Leaders and staff foster positive relationships with parents. They maintain a regular two-way exchange of information.

Staff talk with parents when they drop off and collect their children. Information about children's daily routine and activities are also uploaded onto an online application. This helps to ensure that parents are included and informed about their child's day and their learning and achievements.

Staff overall support children's communication and language skills well. Singing and stories feature regularly throughout the day. Books are readily accessible to children of all ages in cosy corners throughout the nursery.

Staff talk to children as they play. However, they provide fewer opportunities for children to practise and extend their developing language through high-quality, back-and-forth conversations.Children's physical development and well-being are supported well.

Staff have a sound awareness of children's individual routines and care needs. They recognise when young children are tired and ensure they can rest comfortably when they need to. Children learn to recognise their own needs.

They help themselves to a drink when thirsty, recognising which cup is theirs by their picture on the label. Children of all ages benefit from exercise and fresh air as they enjoy time outdoors in the nursery garden.Staff encourage children to be independent from a young age.

They work with parents to support children when they are ready to start using the toilet. Older children do this confidently by themselves and know to wash their hands afterwards. Children learn to feed themselves and staff show them how to hold and use cutlery safely.

Children concentrate as they carefully pour water from a jug into their cup without spilling it.Staff provide a range of different materials and invite children to join in with creative activities. They show younger children how they can use brushes to make marks and shapes in a tray with flour.

Older children learn to hold and use scissors correctly as they snip bits of paper. They use glue and coloured paper to make Halloween themed pictures to take home and share with their parents.

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 implement an ambitious and sequenced curriculum to help children build on what they already know and can do and to ensure they develop the skills they need for future learning 28/01/2025 improve staff's knowledge and teaching skills to help ensure that all children, particularly those who need more support, can participate in meaningful play and learning.28/01/2025 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's interactions to further support children's communication and language.

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