Wendy House Nursery (Carlisle) Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children and families are warmly welcomed as they arrive in the setting. Staff aim to be as flexible as possible to meet families' needs. The manager and staff make themselves available to speak to parents as they drop off and pick up their children.

Children enter the rooms and are quickly engaged in play with and alongside their peers. Parents say children are very happy, look forward to coming and enjoy their time in the setting. Overall, parents feel that communication is effective.

Staff gather information from parents when children start in the setting. This helps staff to plan for children's interests and provid...e developmentally appropriate and engaging activities for them. Children have many opportunities to develop skills and knowledge across all seven areas of learning.

They can enjoy long periods of time outside, exploring the extensive grounds and engaging with nature. Overall, staff have high expectations of children and encourage them to try new activities and experiences, and to develop resilience and a positive attitude to learning. Staff praise and encourage children appropriately and ensure that they get support, encouragement and reassurance when they need it.

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

Good relationships are evident between staff and children. Children are happy, relaxed and settle well into their daily routines throughout the nursery. Babies show that they are confident with staff and are keen to engage in the activities on offer.

Older children sit alongside staff as they play on the computers and use appropriate technical vocabulary to describe what they are doing.Children of all ages are inquisitive and keen to explore and investigate their surroundings. Younger children enjoy sensory experiences as they play with a range of natural materials.

Older children run, jump and hop outside as they test out their physical skills and learn about the importance of exercise and a healthy heart.Staff help children to develop an interest in books and reading. Children hear stories and enthusiastically join in singing songs and rhymes.

Staff encourage children to share their thoughts, make decisions and lead their own learning. They help children to find solutions to problems that arise as they play. Children confidently make selections from the wide range of resources on offer and test out their ideas.

When staff access training it has a positive impact on practice. However, continued professional development has not been focused sharply enough on staff learning needs. This means that not all staff have the depth of knowledge to ensure that all children make the most rapid progress possible.

Children behave very well, develop friendships and show kindness to others. Staff help children to follow instructions, understand rules and routines, share and take turns. Children help to organise resources and begin to take responsibility for their learning environment.

For example, they work with staff to make sure that resources are stored safely when they have finished using them.Staff help children to think for themselves and develop independence. Younger children are encouraged to begin to feed themselves.

The oldest children take a key role in preparing and serving food at snack time. They are very well supported to think about hygiene practices and use tools safely.Staff use their knowledge of the local area to plan activities, such as trips to the post office and florist, to enrich and enhance children's experiences.

In addition, this helps them to begin to understand about the community they live in.The manager encourages staff to be reflective and evaluate their practice. Overall, the team is committed to working in partnership with professionals and agencies to meet children's needs.

However, the arrangements for building on information provided to staff from other settings that children attend, or have attended, is not yet fully embedded. This means that children do not always make the most rapid progress possible.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff understand how to protect children from harm. Named staff members lead on safeguarding, monitor quality and ensure that policies and procedures are embedded. Staff know what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare or development.

Recruitment is safe. Good systems are in place to administer medicine safely and to record and monitor any accidents that occur. Risk assessments ensure that children remain safe in the setting and on outings.

Children are encouraged to take some risks as they play and to assess risks for themselves. Visitors are vetted and the building is kept secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the monitoring of staff practice and training needs to ensure that continued professional development is sharply focused on raising the quality of teaching and outcomes for children to the highest level nenhance links with other settings that children attend, or have attended, to help provide even greater consistency in meeting children's care and learning needs and a tailored curriculum to help them make the most rapid progress possible.