Westwood Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

The nursery's ethos and its dedication to every child are strongly embedded into all that managers and staff do. Supporting diversity and equality is a central feature of nursery practice.

Children's individuality is appreciated and their differences are celebrated. Staff very beneficially promote the many different languages, cultures and customs followed by children and their families.Babies and children are offered exceptionally nurturing and affectionate care.

They form very secure emotional attachments with the staff caring for them. Throughout the nursery, children demonstrate a real sense of belonging and... visibly flourish. Staff are very attentive and supportive, staying close by babies and young children to ensure their safety, develop their confidence and let them explore at their own pace.

Children behave exceptionally well. They quickly become familiar with the consistent expectations for behaviour, learning to share and take turns. This close and genuine environment is evident to all.

Parents are full of praise for the dedicated staff team.The social atmosphere and the staff's timely interactions provide excellent support for children's developing speech. Staff plan and implement highly interesting and fun group activities.

They provide ideal opportunities for children to gain excellent concentration and listening skills. They enrich babies' and younger children's stories, songs and activities with signs and actions, supporting their confidence, communication and engagement very effectively . Older children quickly become confident to speak and share their ideas, both in a group and individually.

They develop their early literacy skills and knowledge of sounds and letters excellently.

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

Babies and children enjoy the freedom to choose from a wide range of stimulating activities and inspiring resources that excite their interest and motivate them to use their skills, senses and imagination. The quality of teaching is outstanding.

Staff skilfully support children's thinking and encourage them to test out their ideas. Babies and young children relish exploring sensory materials. They become absorbed as they explore filling and emptying containers with sand, washing baby dolls and experimenting with paint.

Older children cooperatively create models, structures and dens from the vast assortment of materials in the outdoor area. They are excited and enthused, and animatedly discuss their creations.The extremely conscientious staff team implements the nursery's clear intentions and targeted curriculum effectively.

Key persons use precise assessments of what children know and can do, to ensure they are highly responsive to children's individual needs. Children are making excellent progress. This includes those who speak English as an additional language and those whose circumstances require particularly perceptive intervention and additional support.

Partnership working is a central feature of the nursery's practice. Staff develop a strong two-way flow of information with parents to ensure children receive very consistent support between their home and the nursery. The managers and leaders give the highest priority to working with other professionals, to get children the support they need.

They lead staff in the identification and implementation of timely interventions to enable children to achieve their potential.Children of all ages develop their physical skills excellently in the inspiring outdoor areas. Babies excitedly crawl and investigate, relishing the low-level sensory activities they encounter.

Older children relish the exceptionally rich experiences they are offered, for example during forest activities. Staff cleverly weave learning opportunities throughout. Children show considerable knowledge of nature, safety arrangements and managing risks, and have great fun.

Leadership and management are inspirational. The drive for improvement is uncompromising and managers and room leaders rigorously monitor the success of educational programmes, staff practice and children's progress. The innovative enhancements and embedded support for mathematical development have seen children's mathematical skills develop to even greater levels.

The cohesive staff team follows highly focused improvement plans to continue to implement further changes and sustain practice of the highest quality.Strong recruitment processes, thorough staff induction, regular in-depth supervision and monitoring of practice result in the high-quality teaching children receive. The professional development of the whole staff team is strongly promoted.

Excellent training opportunities support staff to undertake further early years qualifications or access training focused on the new roles they take on. The very beneficial links managers and leaders forge with other local providers help them share outstanding ideas and develop staff knowledge and practice even further.Babies' and children's self-esteem is developing superbly.

They are motivated and confident to initiate activities and develop their skills. They have very positive attitudes towards learning and trying new experiences. Children have the confidence and skills they need for their future success.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and designated leaders are extremely committed to ensuring children are safe from any harm. They place high priority on ensuring staff's knowledge of child protection issues is high, including casual staff within the team.

Staff are confident and knowledgeable about their roles in safeguarding children and what they would do if they had a concern about a child in their care. Staff deployment is excellent and every opportunity is used to ensure children's safety and promote their well-being. Staff very efficiently implement the robust procedures and risk assessments to ensure children can explore and learn safely.