YMCA New Milton Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive eager to play and separate from their parents with ease.

They quickly establish strong relationships with staff and demonstrate that they feel safe and emotionally secure in their care. For example, children go to staff for a cuddle when they feel tired or in need of reassurance. Children enjoy a variety of activities.

For instance, they are curious to explore the mud and water and enjoy creating muddy puddles to jump in together.Children form good friendships. They are kind to each other, play cooperatively and know how to share resources.

For example, younger children take turns going down th...e slide, and older children share well when making play dough. Children are consistently praised and encouraged, which supports their good behaviour. Children's listening and attention skills are supported well during activities.

For example, children listen to the instructions as they enjoy taking part in parachute games.Children of all ages have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They play outside most of the day, which contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

Babies pull themselves up and enjoy using push-along toys. Older children show great skills as they negotiate space, avoiding obstacles when riding bicycles and rolling tyres.

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

The manager is very reflective and has a clear plan in place to develop the setting further.

She carries out one-to-one meetings with staff, where they are supported to identify training to deepen their knowledge and skills.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have tailored support to help them make progress. The manager and staff identify children with SEND through their observations and assessments.

They work with parents and other professionals to meet the needs of the children together. Where formal plans are needed, these are completed in time for children to move on to the next stage in their learning. The manager has introduced a calm space to support children's emotional development.

Children are settled and content in the setting. They demonstrate familiarity with the routine. However, the organisation of some daily routines does not always maximise children's learning.

Children do not consistently receive high-quality interactions with staff during transition times. This is because staff are not always organised or deployed in the most effective way.Children develop good levels of independence and staff encourage them to take an active part in their own self-care.

For example, they encourage all children to wash their hands and wipe their nose independently. Staff set rules and boundaries. For example, when using the tree swing, children know they must have an adult close to the tree to support them if they need help.

Where language barriers exist, staff use visual aids to support children's early communication skills and understanding. This includes children who speak English as an additional language. For example, staff use pictures of familiar everyday items.

Staff monitor children's progress and put in place achievable next steps to help children succeed to the best of their ability. They plan a balanced curriculum that covers all areas of learning. They have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop.

Overall, the quality of teaching is good. However, sometimes, staff do not implement the curriculum intent specifically enough, especially during small-group times. This means, occasionally, children do not experience high-quality learning, as some activities do not build on what children already know and can do.

Parents speak highly of the setting and the staff team. They feel that the setting is very supportive and provides a good induction for children when they start. Parents state that the staff communicate effectively and share their children's progress.

They are very happy with the care and learning their children receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe.

They know the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff are confident in the process to follow in response to a concern about a child in their care. They demonstrate a good understanding of processes in place in the event of an allegation being made about another adult.

The provider has a thorough recruitment process and induction procedure to ensure staff working with children are suitable. The premises are secure and well maintained, which contributes to keeping children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to implement the curriculum intention for planned small-group activities so they are clear about what skills and knowledge they want children to gain review staff deployment during daily routines and transitions, to promote high-quality interactions and support children's learning consistently.

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