Buckets & Spades Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy in the nursery. They demonstrate positive behaviour, confidence and independence, which are encouraged and supported by staff.

When children need emotional support, this is readily available from the responsive staff because of the secure relationships they have developed. For example, children who may be upset when dropped off are warmly comforted by a familiar staff member. As a result, these children soon settle and join their friends to play.

Leaders plan appropriate activities to support children's learning, and review the effectiveness of these activities. This includes a wide range of opportun...ities to play physically indoors and outdoors. This means children can take appropriate risks in their play.

Additionally, leaders have chosen to implement specific programmes to enhance children's speech and language development. This is having a positive impact for children who have difficulties in this area. Older children learn about how to keep healthy.

They discuss healthy and unhealthy foods at lunchtime. Leaders have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They demonstrate an ambition to continually improve the nursery to benefit children attending.

As a result, staff are proud in their working environment and parents are confident to use the nursery.

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

Leaders recognise the important role they have in monitoring what staff do, celebrating their successes and challenging areas which need improvement. Staff describe being very well supported in their roles.

As a result, they are motivated and happy to work at the nursery.Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They know about children's experiences outside of the setting.

Staff use this knowledge to plan appropriate opportunities. They think carefully about what activities to provide so that children are challenged to make good progress. The manager undertakes frequent reviews of all areas in the nursery.

However, in one of the reading areas, some books are ripped or have pages missing. This does not fully promote children's respect for resources or further their interest in developing their early reading skills.Parents speak very highly of staff.

They say that they feel well informed about how their children are developing because the communication from staff is excellent. They feel confident that their children are well cared for and are learning.Children are inquisitive and demonstrate high levels of curiosity, which is supported effectively by staff.

For example, babies watch older children in the toddler room. They knock on the window and wave, while a member of staff explains what the older children are doing. Older children ask about the accident form a member of staff is completing.

They suggest what to record on the form so that the child's parents will know what happened.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported. The arrangements for working with parents and other professionals are strong.

The individual support plans for children include specific targets. This means that children's complex needs are recognised at the earliest opportunity and supported effectively.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

They consistently praise behaviour which meets these expectations. Staff are excellent role models because they treat one another respectfully. As a result, children behave well.

They listen to one another and to staff. Good table manners are promoted at mealtimes and children are gently reminded to use 'please' and thank you' from a very early age.Children know and follow daily routines.

Staff provide visual prompts to help them remember these. This is particularly helpful for children who speak English as an additional language. However, for some of the younger children, the daily routines can occasionally impact on their engagement levels.

For example, children who are tired do not show interest in snack time, which affects some other children's enjoyment.All staff promote children's speech and language skills consistently. They regularly sing and talk with children throughout the day.

This increases children's vocabulary and their confidence. For example, children use simple percussion instruments during a group singing session. They know, understand and use words such as 'faster', 'slower', 'louder' and 'quieter' when describing how to use the instruments.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff have undertaken appropriate safeguarding training. They demonstrate a secure knowledge of how to recognise concerns they may have about children.

They are able to describe the procedures for managing any child protection concerns, including working with relevant professionals to keep children safe. Leaders describe the continuous ways in which they ensure staff are suitable to work with children at the nursery.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: revise the organisation of daily routines for younger children to reduce interruptions to their play and enjoyment review the quality of resources provided consistently to further promote children's love of books and reading.