Blossoms Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are excited to start their day at nursery. They know the routine well, which helps them settle in and enjoy all the learning opportunities available. Staff have organised the nursery to ensure activities are accessible and children can move around safely.

Children have strong attachments with staff. For example, when children are upset or tired, they go to their key person for comfort and reassurance. Babies are engrossed in their play and make good progress in their learning.

In the pre-school room children confidently access activities, indoors and outdoors, that help them develop their skills across all are...as of learning.Children respond positively to gentle praise and encouragement. They demonstrate their understanding of respect for others and the toys they play with throughout the day.

Children listen to staff and follow instruction well. Staff have high expectations of every child. They teach children the skills they need to become independent in their self-care.

Children put on their coats to go outside, ask for help if they need it and contribute when it is time to tidy up. This prepares children well for the next stage in their learning, including starting school.

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

Staff use the settling-in period to gain a good understanding of what children know and can do.

They observe children at play and plan experiences that help children make good progress in their learning.Staff communicate well with parents to keep them informed about their children's day at nursery. However, staff miss opportunities to share their curriculum with parents, to help them continue their children's learning at home.

Children are polite and they use 'please' and 'thank you' when interacting with others. Staff model positive behaviour such as taking turns, sharing toys and playing gently. This helps to reinforce positive, respectful behaviour throughout the nursery.

Staff know children well and they tailor their plans to support each child's individual needs. Staff work well with parents and external agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means any concerns about children's development can be addressed swiftly.

Children love to be outside in the garden, where they access a range of opportunities that support all areas of their learning. For instance, they thoroughly enjoy climbing and using bikes and trikes. This helps to extend children's physical skills and confidence.

Leaders place a strong emphasis on developing children's communication skills, and they help staff to develop their teaching skills. For example, children talk about their potions and mixtures with each other in the mud kitchen, where staff introduce new vocabulary to support them.Staff have created reading areas, indoors and outdoors, where children can explore storybooks by themselves or read with a member of staff.

Children respond to incisive questioning about the pictures or the story, which helps boost their early conversation skills.Children eat healthy food prepared on site. Babies learn to use their spoons and drink from open cups.

Older children enjoy social mealtimes alongside staff who support their conversations. When they have finished eating, children scrape their plates and stack them in the basin. Mealtimes are positive experiences where children learn about healthy eating.

Leaders' recent improvements to the supervision arrangements are welcomed by staff. They say that regular supervision sessions give them an opportunity to discuss their roles. However, these supervision arrangements will take time to embed, to ensure staff get the support and training they need to continue to drive improvement at the nursery.

Leaders take time to reflect on the provision and implement changes if required. For example, they have worked with staff to ensure the systems to plan for children's learning are effective. Staff say they feel confident to suggest areas for improvement or try new ideas.

Staff express satisfaction with their roles and are enthusiastic about the work they do with children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff complete regular safeguarding training.

They discuss safeguarding during team meetings and in supervision sessions to ensure their knowledge remains current. Staff know what would concern them about a child's safety or a colleague's conduct. They know the correct reporting procedures if they have concerns about the welfare of a child.

The building is well maintained, and risk assessment is effective. Leaders and managers follow robust recruitment procedures when appointing new staff to ensure that they are suitable for their roles.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider ways to share the curriculum with parents so they can continue children's learning at home continue to embed and reflect on supervision arrangements to drive further improvement across the nursery.