Washington Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this warm and welcoming nursery.

They benefit from close relationships with their key persons, who support children's emotional well-being effectively.Children are well behaved and enjoy the company of others. They learn to play together and think about the feelings of their friends.

Staff are very positive role models for children, showing kindness and respect at all times. This motivates children to be thoughtful. For example, a younger child kindly included the inspector, when she shared out pretend cupcakes she had made out of glitter dough.

Overall, children are lea...rning new skills. They work with shape and numbers in activities, make marks with chalk pens, and use a range of words to support a love of books. For example, children have enormous fun using toy frogs to jump on wooden logs, and swim in green jelly and rice.

This helps them develop their imaginative skills and recall familiar stories, widening their vocabulary. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, and develop skills across all areas of learning, in preparation for school.

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

Partnerships with parents are very good.

Parents say they receive a warm welcome when they arrive with their child. They add that they are given excellent daily feedback at the end of each session. The nursery is working hard to re-introduce regular parents' evenings and stay-and-play sessions, in a safe way.

For example, staff have plans for a family 'Halloween messy play' session.The dedicated staff plan activities around themes, taking into account the needs and interests of the children. Activities are carefully resourced to stimulate and engage children.

For example, when children show a keen interest in oral health, staff encourage this by introducing topic books and toothbrushes into imaginative and messy play activities. Having taken account of what dentists recommend, staff now offer the younger children the use of mini cups for drinking water at snack times. As a result of this change, parents also now do this at home.

Children are developing their understanding of what it means to be healthy. For example, staff help children learn about the importance of proper handwashing and personal hygiene. Staff support children to make healthy food and drinks choices.

For instance, older children say, 'Apples make me strong' and 'Milk gives me muscles'.Children and babies enjoy their outdoor areas for playing on the slide, climbing, balancing and investigating nature. This helps children who may be behind catch up with their physical skills.

Children are encouraged to discuss what they are doing and are confident to share what they have learned. For instance, children playing a listening game together say, 'I can hear the birds in the trees, they go, tweet, tweet, tweet.' The management team is passionate and committed to providing high-quality childcare.

Managers reflect on staff practice and make plans for improvements. This ensures children's experiences in the nursery continue to help them develop future skills. However, although teaching is mostly of a very good standard, in particular during planned activities, occasionally this is not always the case.

Staff do not consistently deliver the intention in the educational programme to the highest levels. For example, staff sometimes miss opportunities in discussions with children to challenge them further. They do not give them time to process and respond with their own thinking and ideas.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively by staff. The new special educational needs coordinator is well organised. She has a strong focus on working with key agencies, to support children's learning and development and to act on advice suggested by other professionals.

However, there are times when some staff miss opportunities to consistently extend children with communication delay, to build on their vocabulary. For example, staff miss occasions when they can use hand or visual signs or to speak in children's play.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers and staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to safeguard children. Staff are clear about the different kinds of abuse, where children may be at risk of harm. They know the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

Staff understand the whistle-blowing procedure and the reporting route they must follow, in the event of an allegation about a member of staff. The whole team understands their responsibilities and carries out risk assessments to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the arrangements for staff supervision and support to help staff understand even more precisely the details of the educational programme, to ensure they consistently challenge and fully extend all children's learning develop further strategies used by staff during children's play and learning, to enhance all children's communication and language skills, and support their growing vocabulary.

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