Thorney Island Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are warmly greeted by kind and caring staff.

They have strong attachments with their key person. For example, very young children seek out their key person for cuddles when they need reassurance. Children are keen to learn and are inquisitive about the things around them.

For example, they eagerly explore what happens when different things are mixed together, such as flour and baby oil. Staff introduce new words as children experiment, such as 'gloopy'.Staff read stories frequently to children.

The children join in with repeated phrases in delight. Children also look at books independently as they tur...n the page one by one. This supports children's emerging literacy skills and develops their attention span.

Staff further develop these skills by singing nursery rhymes to the children throughout the day. Children develop their independence skills through everyday routines. For example, children learn how to serve themselves during lunchtime as well as practising pouring their own water from jugs.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, and children behave well.Children explore a range of different foods as they learn about different places around the world. Staff encourage children to think about what the food looks and taste likes.

Children excitedly talk about the different things they have tried and which ones they like. This helps children to develop an understanding of the world around them as well as exploring different textures and tastes.

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

The manager has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of the setting since the last inspection.

Committee members now have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They work effectively together as a team. The manager ensures that committee members are not given confidential information until their suitability checks have been completed.

Children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff have a strong focus on children's independence skills, as well as their personal, social and emotional development. On the whole, staff build on what children know and can do.

This helps to prepare children for their next stage of learning. Staff plan a wide range of activities for children, such as making 'teddy bear' hats. However, staff are not always clear on the curriculum intent for planned activities.

This means they are sometimes unsure what they want children to gain from the activity to support their learning and development.Staff now receive regular supervision sessions. They comment that this has helped the workload become more manageable as they are able to address any concerns quickly.

In addition, regular supervision sessions ensure the manager has more awareness and oversight of her staff. This helps to ensure that the quality of the provision continues to rise.Children's individual learning is extended at appropriate levels.

For example, children learn about different landmarks around the world in different ways. Some children copy the pictures as they draw. Other children learn how to locate the landmarks on a map.

Each child is keen to take on their own personal challenge and is excited when they succeed.Children hear a range of vocabulary throughout the day. However, sometimes staff do not consistently support children's language skills.

For example, at times, interactions between staff and children only involve simple closed questions and do not encourage children to fully express their ideas, thoughts and feelings. This has an impact on children's speech and language development.Children begin to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and their peers.

For example, staff teach them how to say hello in the different languages that children speak in the setting, such as Fijian.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Staff work tirelessly to help children make progress on their next steps.

They celebrate children's individual achievements with pride.Parent partnerships have improved over the last year. Parents comment positively on the good communication between themselves and staff.

They receive ideas about how to support their children's development at home. Parents also explain that staff understand the complexities of military life. For instance, they understand the emotions that children may go through when a parent is on deployment.

Parents comment that staff are there to support the whole family and not just the child, which they find invaluable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding.

They know the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is at risk from harm. Staff know how to report any concerns to their designated safeguarding lead and then on to the relevant local safeguarding partners as required. They know how to report an allegation against another member of staff.

They have a secure understanding of a wide range of safeguarding topics, such as county lines and the 'Prevent' duty. The committee members have a strong understanding of their role in safeguarding and know when they would need to report a concern to the relevant local safeguarding partners themselves.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's understanding of the curriculum intent further so all staff have a clear understanding on how to support children in making even more progress in their learning strengthen staff's understanding of how to extend children's communication, speech and language further.