The Poplars Nursery School Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of the children.

They use observations and assessments very precisely to identify daily targets for children. This results in children developing a range of knowledge and skills that prepare them well for future learning and their move on to school. Children happily enjoy a range of stimulating activities that motivate them to learn new skills.

For example, staff show and support children to learn how to use real tools, such as a spirit level, hammer, saw and drill. Children show great excitement and a sense of achievement when they use a saw to cut wood. Other children recognise their achi...evements.

They clap their hands and say 'you did it'. Children behave very well. They value the praise they receive from staff, are kind and share toys with others.

Staff take photographs of children and their creations, for example when they use magnetic shapes to build a bridge. Furthermore, staff give children a 'high five'. This helps children to feel valued.

Children demonstrate positive relationships with staff and know what is expected of them. Parents praise the nursery highly. Their comments include 'children are safe and well looked after'.

Parents complement staff and say that they 'really care and are invested in children's future'.

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

Staff know children well and plan challenging experiences to support them in their development. Children make good progress and some make better than good progress in their learning.

Staff use the curriculum to enhance experiences and opportunities for children. They ensure that children have plenty of opportunities to enhance their learning outdoors, for example to explore the natural environment.The management team continually reflects on the practice within the nursery and makes improvements.

Changes have been made to the garden to promote children's imaginative skills. For example, children put stones into a wheelbarrow and pretend to build a house.Staff support children to develop their mathematical skills as they play.

For example, when older children lift logs in the garden, staff ask them if they are 'heavy' or 'light'. This contributes to children's understanding of weight. When staff feed babies meals, they say 'one, two, three' as they put the spoon to babies' mouths.

This helps babies to develop their early awareness of numbers.The organisation of some resources makes it difficult for younger children to access them easily. This means that, sometimes, they cannot make independent choices effectively.

Staff talk to older children about the potential risks when they use technology. They provide parents with information about how they can keep their children safe when they access the internet at home. This promotes children's safety and well-being.

Staff support children's emotional well-being effectively. For example, they gather information from parents about children's care needs and prior learning. This helps them to meet children's individual needs.

Staff are sensitive to children's needs. When children are tired, they carry out the same routines that parents use at home. As a result, children fall straight to sleep and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

The management team observes staff regularly and gives them feedback on their performance. Training for staff is focused on what needs to improve, for example supporting children's literacy skills. Staff help children to develop a love of books.

They provide children with straw, bricks and sticks to build and construct when they read them a story about three pigs that live in different houses. Children show great excitement when they see familiar characters in a book and shout, 'there is the big bad wolf'. Furthermore, staff help children to learn the sounds that represent letters of the alphabet.

Staff encourage children to take risks and to challenge themselves. For example, staff hold on to very young children's hands when they begin to take their first steps. Younger children test their physical strength when they move heavy rocks from one area to another.

Staff give older children gentle reminders to hold out their arms when they walk across a beam. Children pay attention, follow instructions and show good balance.At times, staff do not give younger children time to think and respond to the good range of questions they ask them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The management team and staff attend training to keep their knowledge of child protection up to date. They understand their responsibilities to safeguard children.

The management team works closely with other agencies to promote children's safety and welfare. Staff carry out checks of the environment to ensure that it is safe for children. The management team uses robust recruitment procedures to make sure that staff are suitable in their roles.

Staff carry out regular fire drills with the children. This helps children learn how to evacuate the nursery safely in an emergency.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: noffer younger children even more opportunities to make independent choices during play provide younger children with opportunities to develop their thinking skills when staff ask questions of them.