Bear’s House Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children arrive happily and quickly settle into play. Parents come into the nursery playground and drop their children off at their designated room. Staff follow the individual needs of children when supporting them to say goodbye to their parents.

For example, they allow older children to say goodbye at the gate before coming into their room. Younger children generally play well alongside each other as they pour water from one container to another during water play. Staff encourage children to share resources.

Older children engage in imaginative play with small-world animals. They learn about different vegetables and ho...w they are harvested. Staff set up activities well.

However, not all areas of the indoor environment are clean and ready for children to use. Younger children and older children access the outdoor area together throughout the day. Babies have a separate outside space.

Staff deploy themselves well to support children's learning. However, on occasion, they do not identify possible hazards in the outdoor area quickly enough. Despite this, staff supervise children well outdoors and encourage them to manage their own risk.

They help younger children to climb over low-level climbing frames. Older children are supported to balance on wooden tree stumps.

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

The manager provides regular supervision for staff and discusses any training needs.

However, the manager does not ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities, particularly when preparing the outdoor area. Although staff ensure that children are safe, they do not ensure that the outdoor area is ready for children to use before they go outside. The manager is keen to support staff to improve this.

Staff report that they feel well supported in their roles. They feel able to discuss any concerns they may have with the manager. There have been recent staff changes to some of the rooms, and staff comment that they enjoy working with different age groups.

Staff report that they feel that their well-being is supported.Staff follow children's interests when they plan activities. For example, staff talk to children about volcanos and what happens when they erupt.

They talk about how some volcanos are dormant. Outside, children recall what they have learned as they talk to each other about the difference between dormant and live volcanos.Staff organise activities to support children's learning.

For example, younger children learn the names of wooden shapes and make marks with the shapes in flour. However, areas of the indoor environment are not thoroughly cleaned. For example, following some building work, the environment where younger children play has not been cleaned and made ready for use.

Staff understand what children are learning and the skills they need to develop. For example, older children are learning to be more independent and are developing their social skills in readiness for school. Younger children are developing their communication and listening skills.

However, staff do not fully support younger children to progress further. At times, the interactions staff have with younger children do not fully extend their learning. This has an impact on how well they engage in activities.

Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They know who their child's key person is and have been kept up to date with recent staff changes. Parents receive regular updates on how their children are progressing and the development areas staff are supporting.

Staff know the children very well and understand how to support children's individual needs, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Funding is used to provide additional staff to support children. The management team recognises the needs of the children.

Managers have recently recruited a new member of staff to provide additional support to children with SEND.Children are eager to learn, and they join in well with activities. Older children play well with each other.

Staff support children to share resources. They use timers to help children know when it is the turn of the next person.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know who the designated safeguarding lead is and understand how to report concerns they may have about a child. They know how to identify the signs of abuse, including if a child is being exposed to extreme views. The manager understands the local safeguarding partnership procedures.

She knows how to refer allegations against staff. This helps to safeguard children. The management team follows robust recruitment processes and ensures that staff remain suitable to work with children.

All staff are trained in first aid.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve staff's understanding of their roles and responsibilities, particularly when preparing the outdoor area, to ensure that it is ready for children to use 01/09/2023 ensure that all areas of the premises used by children are suitably clean before children arrive in compliance with health and safety legislation.01/09/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff practice to ensure that the learning intentions for younger children are fully supported.