Alcester Nursery Studio Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have a happy, busy time at nursery. They build strong attachments to their key person and laugh together as they walk across the tightrope holding hands. Children play alongside their peers, as staff help them learn how to play together.

For example, children are supported to cooperate with their friends to build a chute for the cars. Children say, 'it is your turn next', and 'let's persevere'. Children show a positive attitude to learning and tackle challenges with enthusiasm.

Children behave well and learn how to express themselves. Staff support children to understand rules and expected behaviours. Children... share mottos, such as 'sharing is caring'.

Children calmly learn together and share resources between themselves. Children enjoy engaging in opportunities for speaking and listening and eagerly gather on the floor for circle time. They listen carefully as staff describe an interesting object.

Children talk about what the object might be and enjoy sharing their guesses with their friends. Children wait patiently for their turn and develop confidence to speak in groups. When children need encouragement, staff offer smiles and thumbs up.

This helps them to feel proud of their achievements.

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

Leaders have made significant improvements since the last inspection. During meetings, they review, with the staff team, what is working and areas to improve.

As a result, they have made changes to the daily drop off to help children start learning as soon as they arrive at nursery. All children make good progress from their starting points.Staff understand what it is that children need to learn and how to support and encourage them.

For example, key persons provide planned opportunities for children to achieve their targets, such as learning how to balance on play equipment. When children reach their goal, they throw their arms around their key person and share a smile. This helps children to develop good self-esteem.

Children and their families are well supported. Parents describe how the manager is approachable and helps them to access support for their children. Parents and children attend stay-and-play events where parents have the opportunity to talk to staff about their child's learning and next steps.

The new curriculum takes account of children's interests, and learning is child focused. For example, when pre-school children ask staff questions, such as 'do butterflies make noise?', staff spend time helping them find out the answer to extend their learning. However, staff in the two- to three-year-old room do not yet implement this approach as successfully to help promote the best possible outcomes for all children.

Children have access to good nutrition while at the nursery. Children grow produce in the nursery garden, and staff use this to cook apple crumble and talk about nutrition with them. Children take food waste to the compost bin and enjoy helping their friends to 'save the planet'.

Staff share exciting objects to spark children's curiosity about the world around them. Staff teach children ambitious vocabulary when investigating natural objects they have collected from the community garden. For example, children use words such as lichen, fungus and moss.

In the home corner, children pretend to chop real marrows while they talk about growing and harvesting. This helps children to develop their understanding of the natural world.Leaders complete observations on staff to monitor the delivery of the curriculum.

They have identified that they need to simplify these processes so that staff are clear on what they need to do to make further improvements to the curriculum. However, this is yet to be refined and fully implemented in practice.The special educational needs coordinator ensures that all children make progress.

Funding is spent appropriately to support the individual needs of the children who receive this. There is a clear focus on children being ready to start school, and this helps children to transition well.Children learn about similarities and differences.

They bring in photos of their families, and this sparks discussions that help children understand diversity. Staff share and celebrate their own cultural traditions with children. For example, children listen to music from Scotland and learn about festivals, such as Chinese New Year.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders train and support staff to implement the nursery's safeguarding procedures. All staff have a secure knowledge of signs of child abuse and what to do to protect children.

Leaders and staff know what to do if an allegation is made against a colleague. Staff identify and minimise risks to children's safety. Staff and parents follow clear routines for ensuring that children do not enter or leave the building without an adult.

Leaders and staff maintain well-organised records. For example, new staff are vetted as part of the recruitment process.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: fully implement the new curriculum approach with younger children to help promote the best possible outcomes refine the procedure for coaching and mentoring of staff to achieve the setting's vision.

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