Willow Cottage Nursery (Eynsham)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children delight in being in this welcoming, safe and well-resourced environment.

They are greeted by enthusiastic and caring staff as they arrive at the setting. Staff set high expectations and are good role models. As a result, children are polite and behave well.

Since the onset of COVID-19, staff have placed a sharp emphasis on supporting children to manage their feeling and emotions. For example, children are able to identify and describe feelings, such as happy, shy and angry. This is contributing towards their increased self-control and confidence.

All children show a love of books. They smile with deli...ght as staff read them their favourite stories. Staff's enthusiasm and use of intonation really capture their attention and develop their listening skills.

Children benefit from a language-rich environment that builds on their communication skills. Younger children begin to link words together. Older children speak in complex sentences and recall prior learning.

For example, children describe the paint and water they have squirted onto the paper. They use words in the right context, such as 'lava' and 'overflow'. Children benefit from a curriculum that is carefully considered and well planned, overall.

The manager clearly identifies what she wants children to learn as they move through the nursery.

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

The nursery has been through a period of change. Staff benefit from regular supervision and support to develop their knowledge and skills.

However, the new manager recognises that she is not yet monitoring staff practice closely enough to offer clear guidance on how to help them develop their teaching skills further. For instance, through coaching staff practice more closely.Children are happy and engage confidently with staff, who know them well.

They have formed strong attachments with their key person. For example, when the inspector asked children what their favourite thing about nursery was, special staff members were named. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively and work well with a wide range of other professionals. They implement effective support plans to help children catch up in their learning and make progress. Staff also work very closely with teachers to help support a smooth move on to school for children.

Children are provided with healthy meals and snacks. Mealtimes are social occasions and children's independence is supported well by staff. Children pour their own water and scrape their plates when they have finished their lunch.

Staff help to broaden children's knowledge of the world around them and provide active experiences to develop an understanding of people, communities and the wider world. For example, children held a party for the Queen's Jubilee with staff and families, and planted a commemorative tree in the garden.Relationships with parents are strong.

Parents praise the staff team for the care that their children receive. They speak highly of the online application to keep them updated of their children's learning. Staff made many changes to the setting throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to offer children a homely yet stable learning environment.

In addition, staff worked hard to communicate well with parents and children at this time. For example, favourite books were read and recorded for children to hear.Staff interaction with children is positive, overall.

However, during some activities, staff move away from children to complete routine tasks, such as preparing the sleep area. This results in children losing interest in the activity, and learning is interrupted.The manager and senior leadership team place a high priority on the well-being of staff.

As a result, staff feel valued and enjoy working at the nursery.Children benefit from a range of activities, indoors and outdoors, that support their physical development. For example, very young children really enjoy learning to navigate steps and slides.

Older children enjoy using balance bikes and develop ball skills. Children of all ages show lots of confidence to move in different ways. They are developing a positive attitude towards following an active lifestyle.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager ensures that staff have a good understanding of the setting's safeguarding policy and keep their training up to date. The manager and staff recognise signs and symptoms that would cause them to be concerned for a child's welfare.

They know how to identify children who may be exposed to extreme views. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have about any children or the adults they encounter. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff use risk assessments to help minimise potential hazards. They are vigilant about safety and maintain correct ratios 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 monitoring of staff practice so that they receive coaching support that helps them to further improve the good quality of children's care and learning nenhance opportunities for children to maintain their concentration and exploration during the times when staff leave activities to carry out routine tasks.