Flower Pots Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children arrive confidently and warm, caring staff greet them. Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise to help keep them fit and healthy. Older children balance on tyres, ride balance bicycles and negotiate space safely.

Babies explore a range of sensory materials, such as mud, gloop and water, to help build their confidence. Staff working with babies add new words to extend children's vocabulary. For example, they describe gloop as 'sticky' and 'messy'.

They repeat children's language to help them learn to pronounce words correctly and narrate their play to help give children's actions meaning. Staff working with... older children plan exciting activities for children but do not always interact with them in a way that supports their developing communication and language skills.Children generally behave well.

When challenging behaviour occurs, staff intervene but do not always explain the potential consequences of children's actions. For example, when children climb on equipment, staff lift them off but do not explain that they might injure themselves and children repeat the behaviour. Staff enjoy working at the nursery.

However, training and supervision processes are not robust enough to ensure that all staff can confidently fulfil their roles and responsibilities, especially when promoted to a new position. Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to meet the care and learning needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to help them make the progress of which they are capable.

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

The manager organises a curriculum which focuses on developing children's social, physical and communication skills.

However, variations in the quality of teaching impact on how well staff support children's developing language skills and manage their behaviour. Senior leaders are aware that improvements need to be made and training days have been organised to address the weaknesses identified.Older children do not benefit from regular two-way conversations with staff that develop their communication and language skills.

For example, staff use closed questions and do not allow children the time they need to consider and share their thoughts and ideas. At times, staff shout to gain children's attention, which does not model effective communication.Children generally play cooperatively.

Older children share books in the cosy area and take turns on the climbing frame. However, when children's behaviour is not appropriate, staff do not teach children the skills they need to learn to manage their own behaviour. For example, they tell children to 'stop' and 'play nicely', but do not explain the consequences of their actions on themselves and others.

The special educational needs coordinator is new to the role and yet to undertake training. As a result, staff do not receive enough support to organise learning which builds on what children with SEND already know and can do. At times, their individual needs are not well met.

For example, staff do not consider the impact of changes made to mealtime routines on children with SEND which unsettle them.Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff have the training and support they need to be able to effectively fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Staff promoted to key roles within the nursery do not have adequate supervision or coaching to enable them to drive the improvement needed within the nursery.

Some staff lack confidence in their roles, which impacts on the quality of care and education being provided.Staff provide plenty of opportunities to support children to develop their fine motor skills. For example, children paint using brushes which they learn how to hold confidently.

Staff encourage children to squeeze the paint bottles, which helps build children's muscles in preparation for early writing.Children are imaginative. They play games together that involve taking on roles and acting out their own experiences.

For example, they pretend that a cardboard box is their home. This helps to build their social skills and creativity.Staff teach children how to keep themselves well.

For example, staff encourage children to wear sun hats and apply sun cream regularly to prevent burning. They provide nutritious, balanced meals to help children to stay fit and healthy.Parents report that staff are kind and caring and that they keep them updated about their children's progress.

Staff work with other providers to share information and ensure continuity of care when children attend more than one early years setting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a strong understanding of the signs and symptoms that might indicate that a child is at risk of abuse.

They understand the reporting procedures should they have any concerns about children's welfare or in the event of an allegation made against a member of staff. The designated safeguarding lead works closely with external agencies to help keep children safe. Staff deploy themselves well to ensure children are adequately supervised, including while sleeping.

Managers adopt safer recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff record accidents effectively and keep parents informed in a timely way.

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 teaching practice to ensure that children of all ages receive consistent, high-quality interactions to support their developing communication and language skills 10/11/2023 improve behaviour management strategies, to consistently help children understand the impact their actions may have on themselves and others 10/11/2023 provide training for staff to improve their understanding of how to meet the individual needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help ensure that they make the best possible progress 10/11/2023 provide effective supervision and training for all staff to ensure that they have the knowledge and confidence to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

10/11/2023