The Orchards Day Nursery Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enter the setting happy, confident and ready to learn. Key persons are close by to support new children and those who have been away on holiday to settle.

Children demonstrate their good independence skills. For example, as soon as they arrive at the nursery, they change their shoes and hang up their coats by themselves. Children take pride in their own achievements and their behaviour is good.

Children choose from a wide range of activities and resources that encourage them to explore and develop their imaginations. A particular favourite is making and playing with dough. Children demonstrate their prior lear...ning as they talk confidently about how to make the dough.

They show their developing mathematical understanding as they explain the ratio of flour, salt and water they need. Staff know children well and purposefully provide resources that reflect their interests and needs. For example, the role-play area is set up with dolls and baby equipment to support children whose parents are expecting new babies in their families.

Children are developing good physical skills. For example, they skilfully use pencils to draw detailed pictures. These skills help to prepare children well for their future learning at school.

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

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents and carers are unable to enter the premises. Leaders have adapted routines to meet the emotional needs of individual children. Key persons meet their children at the door and the good attachments between them are clear to see.

Staff take time to get to know children and their families well. They gain detailed information on what children can already do when they start to attend the nursery. Staff plan effectively to help their individual key children successfully build on their existing knowledge and skills.

Children are provided with regular opportunities to keep their bodies healthy and strong. They enjoy eating fresh foods, including sweetcorn, and talk confidently about their favourite meals, such as cheesy pasta. Children are keen to show visitors how they can move their bodies into the yoga poses that they have learned at nursery.

They have many opportunities to be active. For example, they take part in climbing outside.Children are developing strong communication and language skills.

They join in conversations and confidently give their thoughts and ideas. Staff have identified that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some children have regressed in this area of development. They have implemented new procedures to encourage children to engage in conversations and learn new words.

Managers report that these gaps in development are now beginning to close.Children have places where they can rest and relax. A particular favourite is the sensory room.

Here, children lie down on the floor and watch different light-up resources. They enjoy looking at books that help them to talk about their feelings and emotions. Staff talk about how they have seen children's well-being increase after they spend time being quiet and calm.

The managers and staff regularly reflect on their practice and look for ways to continually improve. They gain the views of parents and children, which are evaluated and embedded into future practice.The provider has rigorous recruitment procedures in place to help ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

The manager supports staff well through their induction and probationary period. Staff say that they feel valued by the leadership team, stating their mental health and well-being are important to all the nursery leaders.Overall, the staff team is strong and leaders offer them good training, support and coaching.

Leaders spend time observing staff in the nursery and have good ideas of where further improvements can be made. However, support for some newer staff needs further strengthening and embedding, especially in relation to the processes of assessing children's development.Overall, parents speak positively about the setting and the progress their children make.

They state that children are happy to attend and are kept safe. Some parents report that they receive regular updates about their child's learning. However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of information shared, as some parents receive more detailed information than others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider, manager and staff are knowledgeable about child protection issues and have a secure understanding of the correct procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child. Staff confidently describe the signs and symptoms of abuse and know who the designated lead practitioners for safeguarding are.

Staff understand how to make a referral or contact other agencies if they have a concern about the behaviour of a colleague or other adult. They have a good knowledge of wider safeguarding matters, including the 'Prevent' duty.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen and embed support for new staff to help them to develop the best possible understanding of the assessment procedures provide all parents with the same good quality of information about how their children are learning and developing.