Arbury Day Nursery - Tommies Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome into the setting.

The effective key-person system enables children to feel safe, and secure relationships encourage their exploration of the well-planned environment. Older children show great enthusiasm for making their own play dough. They use their prior knowledge of the quantity of ingredients needed to produce some really well-made dough to use in their ice-cream shop role play.

Children know that the hot water to make the dough needs to be added by an adult. They knead, poke, squash and squeeze the play dough, which supports the strength and stamina needed for early writing skills.... Children make links to the familiar 'A Squash and a Squeeze' book when a member of staff uses similar language in order to encourage their manipulation of the dough.

Children delight in playing in the many outdoor play spaces. They play cooperatively and enjoy role play and sensory play. Older children are highly engaged in pretending to make and serve ice creams.

They use mathematical language to share out the cones, add sprinkles and discuss the price of their goods. Younger children engage in small-world play with animals that are presented in a tuff tray with natural resources. They take turns to pretend to care for the animals and to make them better.

Babies delight in exploring water play and play with mud. They develop their sensory awareness and experience awe and wonder as they freely explore the materials on offer.

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

Leaders develop a purposeful curriculum that is underpinned by effective working knowledge of how children learn.

Staff know children well, and use this knowledge effectively to plan for, support and assess children's learning. As a result of this, all children make good progress.Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good.

Staff are secure in their knowledge of children's individual needs and manage these in a positive way. Staff support children who have any delays in their learning well. They recognise any possible gaps in children's development and successfully plan activities to support their learning.

Staff work effectively in close partnership with parents.Children's communication and language are well supported. They have access to many high-quality books and staff prioritise story sharing on a one-to-one basis.

Children demonstrate high levels of enthusiasm for listening to stories with their peers and with adults. Babies delight in sharing 'touch and feel' books. They skilfully turn the pages and are keen to explore the different textures.

Children enthusiastically participate in action rhymes and songs. They are keen to choose animals from a basket to sing 'the jungle song' and particularly enjoy making the animal noises.All children are offered access to mark making.

However, staff do not provide a wide enough range of developmentally appropriate and interesting resources and opportunities to support and inspire children in their creative mark-making and early writing and literacy skills.Children behave well. They take turns and understand the need to share resources.

In a small-group activity, children successfully engage in stirring ingredients in a large bowl and then pass it to their neighbour for them to have a turn. Staff support children to understand how their actions might impact on others and help them to make the right choices.Children benefit from secure routines that promote their independence and self-help skills.

Staff encourage babies to help with dressing and feeding themselves during care routines. Toddlers are well supported with handwashing and staff actively encourage children to cut their sausages at lunchtime using a knife and fork. Pre-school children are competent at washing their hands and have the opportunity to self-serve their food at mealtimes.

Partnership working with parents is successful. Parents are well informed and involved in their children's learning and development. Regular communication ensures that staff are aware of children's interests and learning preferences at home.

They then use this information to effectively plan for children's experiences in the setting. Parents have the opportunity to attend parents' meetings to further discuss the progress their child is making.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding knowledge is secure, and selection procedures ensure the safe recruitment of suitable people. Leaders implement effective induction and monitoring programmes to ensure that staff are well equipped with the necessary knowledge to keep children safe. Staff access regular training and they are very clear about their role and responsibility across the provision.

They talk confidently about the signs and symptoms of abuse, their duty to prevent children being exposed to extremist behaviour and a range of other risks, including domestic abuse. Procedures are clear, and safeguarding information is effectively displayed, ensuring that recording and reporting forms are accessible.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease opportunities for children to access mark-making materials and further promote their early writing skills and early literacy and encourage creativity.