Treehouse - Cambridge Park

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy in this nursery. They behave well and are kind to each other. Staff have high aspirations for children.

They develop a curriculum that is based on supporting children's self-regulation and social skills. Staff recognise that these areas will support children to be able to voice their needs as they move on to the next stages of their learning. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported by staff who know them well.

Staff plan activities to support children's interests and next steps in learning. Staff encourage children's independence skills through the ...daily routines. Children serve their own food and feed themselves with gentle support from staff, where needed.

Older children are keen to help set the tables for mealtimes. They count how many more plates and forks they need for the children who will be at each table. This helps to support their counting and problem-solving skills.

Children's early literacy skills are encouraged throughout the nursery. They access cosy book areas in all rooms and have opportunities to take home favourite books from the lending libraries. There are lots of opportunities for children's early writing.

Older children sign themselves in on the register. Even the youngest children love to explore the effect of paint, using a range of tools and their fingers to create paintings on mirrors.

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

Since the last inspection, the management team has worked hard to address the actions raised and improve the quality of the nursery.

The manager has a clear vision for the future of the nursery. Staff have redesigned the curriculum to ensure that it is focused on the child's voice. All staff have received training, which has helped to build a strong team.

Staff work in partnership with the local authority.Parents feel that staff communicate well with them regarding how their children are getting on at the nursery and how they can support them at home. They welcome the opportunity to speak with staff daily.

Parents feel that the online app is helpful to see photos of their child's experiences and to receive key messages during the day. A parents' forum has been created to ensure that staff take account of their views.The nursery has good links with local schools.

It has invested in training to support children with early reading skills, in line with the programmes used in these schools. Staff have delivered workshops to parents to demonstrate what their children learn in the nursery and to provide ideas to use at home to support their child to be ready for school.Some staff are very skilful at engaging children in discussions to enhance their learning.

A group of older children excitedly talk about the chia seeds they have planted on a chair when a staff member brings the 'chia chair' indoors to be watered. They talk about what the seeds need to grow and make sure that they have sunlight and water outside. This leads to a conversation about the weather in different countries.

However, at other times, staff focus on children completing an activity and the end result. This results in some staff not consistently enhancing children's learning further.Relationships between children and staff are warm.

Staff set up sleep mats for younger children with their own blankets and comforters. They rub their backs or sing quietly to them to help them go to sleep. Older children will ask staff for help, if needed.

For example, when children drop their dolls, they ask staff to help to get a cold compress to pretend to do first aid for their dolls.Most staff use sign language for key words with the youngest children to support their communication from an early age. They share the signs they use with parents.

This enables parents to work alongside the nursery to support their children's early language skills at home.Staff use a story about a colour monster to help children to talk about their emotions. They display photos which show what children's faces look like when they are feeling happy, sad or angry.

This helps to support children's emotional well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are confident to talk about the importance of keeping children safe when they are in the nursery.

They can describe the signs that might indicate that a child is at risk of harm or neglect. Staff are able to explain what records they should keep and who to inform of any concerns. Ratios are met and staff put a high focus on supporting children's emotional well-being.

Staff's understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and suitability to work with children is regularly checked at supervision meetings. Information is shared with parents regarding how to keep their children safe when using technology at home.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to develop their expertise in supporting children's communication skills, to provide consistently high-quality teaching across the nursery.