Cuddles & Care Children’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and confident in this warm and friendly setting. They settle quickly when they arrive.

They get involved in the activities and experiences on offer. Children form close bonds with staff members, who are kind, caring and nurturing. This helps them to feel safe and secure.

Children begin to make independent choices in their play from a young age. Babies enjoy free play on the carpet exploring small-world models. Older babies are busy playing around a water tray.

Toddlers enjoy role playing and mark making with felt tips. Pre-school children initiate play with building blocks and animals.Childr...en behave well and understand the nursery routines.

They show positive attitudes towards learning. Children engage in meaningful activities throughout the day. Staff prepare children of all ages for the next stage in their education.

Pre-school children join in with circle time activities and develop their listening skills. They practise letter recognition while they look for their name written on the board. Toddlers enjoy singing time in a circle by using wooden spoons with pictures of songs on them.

Staff teach them to wait for their turn to choose the next spoon with the song. Older babies regularly visit the toddler room to become familiar with it before it's their turn to move there. Staff give them time to explore the room and interact with older children.

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

The managers and staff create an ambitious curriculum that follows children's interests and builds on what they already know and can do. Each room has a topic based on children's interests for several weeks. They plan related activities for children to take part in.

This enables staff to observe and assess children's learning and development.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress. The manager and staff with responsibility for coordinating help for children with SEND work effectively to ensure children receive targeted support to meet their learning needs.

Staff work in partnership with parents and with external agencies, to ensure that children make the best possible progress.Parents say that they are happy with the nursery. They add that staff are supportive with their children's needs.

Parents have regular communication with the nursery, and staff inform them of what their children have been doing each day. The managers and staff extend children's learning at home by providing a lending library.Staff encourage children to develop their communication and language skills, particularly children with SEND or children who speak English as an additional language.

For example, staff make eye contact and sounds with younger children. Pre-school children have opportunities to express their opinions and ideas while they interact with staff during the day. They also enjoy story time and playing with puppets.

However, staff do not often incorporate additional learning strategies to further contribute to children's speech development.Children who speak English as an additional language receive good support to use both languages in play and learning. Staff sing familiar action rhymes and use keywords from children's home languages.

Staff plan exciting learning opportunities for children across the different areas of learning. Pre-school children exercise their counting skills by matching natural resources with the correct number. They also independently use an interactive table which enhances their problem-solving skills.

Toddlers explore musical instruments and try to complete puzzles with numbers and shapes. Older babies develop their physical skills as they climb on the soft play equipment in the sensory room. Babies feel paint on their hands as staff encourage them to create paintings.

However, staff do not yet apply the same level of consideration to the planning and provision of activities outdoors.Staff focus on encouraging children to be independent. Babies enjoy the freedom of choice during play.

Toddlers wash their hands with minimal help before they touch their food. Pre-school children can put on their coats fast by flicking them above their head. They also clean their face and hands independently after lunch, using mirrors as aids.

This promotes children's self-esteem and prepares them for school.Teamwork among staff is very good. Staff comment on the level of support they receive from managers who are ready to listen to their concerns.

Staff share responsibilities fairly between themselves. They meet children's needs and care is seamlessly promoted through effective teamwork.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to safeguard children. The managers and staff are familiar with the correct procedure to follow to protect a child from harm. They are able to talk about what would worry them about a child and what they would do as a result.

Staff know what to do in the event of an accident and what to do next. All areas of the nursery are clean and free from clutter. Any hazardous items are kept out of the reach of children.

Staff keep doors always locked. There is a CCTV system in place for staff to consistently monitor babies as they sleep.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the outdoor curriculum and activities provided to increase children's learning opportunities outdoors nenhance the support for children's communication and language even further, particularly those who would benefit from additional learning strategies.