The Woodside Primary Academy Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The staff specialise in the care and education of children aged birth to two years.

Children develop strong relationships with staff, who support them to feel safe and secure. Staff are warm and nurturing towards children. They are gentle when they hold them, ensuring that they feel comfortable.

Children sit close to staff and snuggle up to them for a cuddle as they share books and stories. During play and at mealtimes, staff sit close to children, ensuring that they have the support they need without being intrusive. For example, babies who need help being fed are given space and time to eat and are not rushed.
...r/>Staff are sensitive to babies' needs. They let them wake up from sleep in a calm and peaceful way.Staff encourage children to use 'kind hands', to share toys and take turns in an age-appropriate way.

Children are well behaved for their age.Babies are supported to access resources and to explore the environment. Staff deploy themselves effectively so that children are supervised and are safe.

Children have access to an outdoor play space so that they can play in the fresh air. During singing and rhyme time, babies hold props from a basket that indicate the rhyme or song being sung. For example, staff give babies small soft sheep to hold as they sing 'Baa Baa Black Sheep'.

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

Leaders are passionate about the curriculum and the care that the babies experience. They meet regularly with staff to check on their well-being to ensure that they are supported. Regular training opportunities are offered to staff, in order to build on their professional development.

Staff appreciate these opportunities and share their learning with other team members, in order to continuously raise learning opportunities for children. For example, staff attend training that is linked with speech and language development and then model and mentor other staff on their return.Partnerships with parents are strong, and these help children to feel safe and secure in the nursery.

Parents comment on the excellent communication from staff and feel that staff really care about their children. Parents appreciate the efforts staff go to to communicate children's learning and development. Parents acknowledge the positive changes children make when they attend the nursery.

Staff are warm, loving and nurture children to reach their fullest potential. They are respectful of children during their intimate care routines and speak gently to them. In turn, children are happy and very well settled.

They separate easily from parents and enjoy exploring the calm, welcoming environment. Children laugh and giggle through songs and rhymes, joining in with actions with great pleasure. For example, older children excitedly join in with 'sleeping bunnies' song as soon as the first words are spoken.

Children are encouraged and supported to develop their confidence and independence in an age-appropriate way. For example, older children help staff to wash their hands and faces in preparation for moving into an older age group. Younger babies enthusiastically help to feed themselves and drink from a lidded cup.

Staff model language with babies and encourage a sense of awe and wonder. For example, in the garden, a child hears a loud vehicle pass the nursery. Staff mark this with the word 'lorry' while smiling and pointing to the fence.

Staff give very good eye contact to children and encourage them to respond in words or gestures.Children have regular opportunities to play in the small garden area. They enjoy being outside in the fresh air and exploring the activities on offer.

However, children do not have enough space to crawl and ride the small trikes as the amount of activities on offer impacts on this. During these times, children do not build on their physical development.Staff work well as a team to keep the needs of children at the heart of everything.

Routines are well established and familiar to children. Staff recognise how important it is that children are not waiting too long for lunch to be served as they could become unsettled. Care routines are delivered smoothly and efficiently with children's needs in mind.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider ways to further develop the learning environment to focus on promoting children's physical development.

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