Billington Bears Nursery and Out Of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy coming to the pre-school.

They form close friendships within the small groups who attend. Children play happily and engage well with staff, showing they feel safe. Parents complete an 'all about me' form when their children start to attend.

These are updated regularly. Staff know about children's individual interests and preferences. They are taken into consideration when planning activities.

Children's diversity and unique needs are respected. The inclusive setting welcomes all children and their families. Staff have learned some Polish words to further support children from the Polish communit...y who attend.

Staff are developing their knowledge of how to fully support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).Children develop good independence and self-care skills, such as going to the toilet by themselves when they are able. Children find their own pegs to hang their coats up and are beginning to recognise their written names.

Staff encourage older children to put their own coats on, in preparation for moving on to school.Children generally behave well. Staff talk to children about expected behaviours and support them to share and take turns.

On occasion, staff do not consistently use effective strategies to ensure children are fully involved in the activities.

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

Partnerships with parents are well developed. Parents spoken to during the inspection said they are kept informed of their children's progress and development.

They are also able to access online records to view their children's development. Parents say that they feel 'the door is always open' for them to talk to the manager. Parents' afternoons are held to enable a more in-depth discussion.

Staff talk to parents about what children enjoy at home and use this information when planning.Staff plan activities which are interesting and engage children in the resources available. Children dress up in the role-play area and develop their imaginative play.

They care for the baby dolls and take them to the 'doctor' when they are 'poorly'. Children learn about making healthy choices for healthy bodies and staff talk about good foods to eat. Children explore the texture and smell of various fruits.

They create pictures of the fruit using a variety of colours as they draw and paint.Children learn about shape and space as they create models from boxes and build towers with wooden blocks. Staff encourage children to count in daily activities.

For example, children begin to count the steps as they go downstairs.They are encouraged to count the hoops as they jump into them when outdoors.The outdoor area provides opportunities for children to use the slide, dig in the mud kitchen and play with larger equipment.

Currently, the planning for outdoor activities does not offer extensive opportunities to further enhance children's learning. This has been identified by the manager and there are plans in place to significantly develop the outdoor area.Children make good progress in their learning.

Staff identify areas which require further development and plan for children's next steps. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of individual children's progress and the areas they are focusing on.The leadership team demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement.

Significant changes have taken place within the organisation of the setting in recent months. For example, the pre-school now also operates from the first floor of the building. Daily routines and procedures have been adapted.

However, there are some aspects that require further consideration. The deployment of staff is not always highly effective in meeting all children's needs, in particular at key times of the day when children are moving between areas.The manager and deputy have introduced staff supervision meetings to support staff in their continuing professional development.

Staff well-being is taken into account. Support and encouragement is provided to develop a stronger and more confident staff team. However, there are inconsistencies in staff performance, for example, in the range of quality interactions with children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Detailed policies and procedures are in place. These are made available to parents, in addition to information displayed in the entrance area.

Staff demonstrate a clear knowledge of the procedures to follow should they have any concerns regarding children's well-being. They are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and know their responsibilities with regard to protecting children from harm. Effective recruitment procedures are implemented to ensure that staff working with children are deemed suitable to do so.

Appropriate checks are completed when new staff are appointed and staff suitability is kept up to date. Staff attend training in child protection and regular discussions help to keep their knowledge up to date.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff deployment to ensure all children's needs are met effectively and their behaviour is fully supported build on the programme of staff training and support so that their knowledge and skills are consistently improving to the highest level.

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