Havelock Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The manager has considered the skills and knowledge for children to develop over time.

However, some inconsistencies in staff practice have not been identified during the supervision process. Staff adequately supervise all children to keep them safe. However, during busier periods in the room for two- and three-year-olds, staff are unable to engage all children to consistently support their good learning.

The lack of quality interactions particularly impacts on children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is because staff do not consistently implement targeted interventions, which results in th...ese children not benefiting from positive engagement and support. Children with SEND in the pre-school room are supported more effectively, so gaps in their development are beginning to close.

Children are happy and feel secure in the care of staff. Babies approach staff for cuddles, receiving reassurance when needed. Children receive praise and encouragement from staff.

However, when children display unwanted behaviour, like climbing on top of units, staff do not consistently help them to learn why this is unacceptable. Children's communication and language skills are promoted as staff provide a narrative as they play and ask questions. During story time, pre-school children recall that on the back of a book is the 'blurb', which tells them what the book is about.

They also explain how the spine of a book holds it together. Babies are introduced to lots of new language, as staff introduce them to three new key words each week.

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

Leaders and managers monitor and evaluate staff practice, enabling them to identify some areas for further improvement.

They plan to continue work with staff to further support their confidence and knowledge of what children are learning. The manager ensures that each key person is aware of their key child's individual needs. This helps children to feel emotionally secure in the setting.

While all children with SEND have targeted interventions, these are not always successfully implemented. When children have focused one-to-one support, their needs are met through quality interactions. However, when children are cared for in the normal adult-to-child ratios, staff do not consistently implement these targets.

This results in gaps in children's learning not closing swiftly enough.Babies and pre-school children are encouraged to sit down while eating. Staff use these opportunities to support children's social skills.

However, the organisation of snack time in the room for two- and three-year-olds is not as effective. Children sit on the floor for snack. Staff spend more time dealing with spilled drinks than engaging with the children.

In addition, some children with SEND are allowed to wander around while eating. While staff have an overview of where these children are, they do not encourage them to adhere to the expectations placed on the other children.Staff are kind, caring and considerate to all children.

Children mainly behave well and benefit from lots of praise and encouragement. However, there are some inconsistencies in how staff manage children's unwanted behaviour. Some staff are skilled at explaining why children's behaviour is not acceptable, whereas other staff offer no explanations.

This does not help children to learn the consequences of their actions.Staff support children's interest in books, as they introduce all children to popular stories. Staff regularly read these stories to children and plan further linked activities associated with the book.

This helps older children to recall words and sentences as they become familiar with the story. However, staff often read stories to babies while they are eating. As babies are more focused on learning the skills to feed themselves, they do not fully benefit from the story being read.

Staff use story times and group discussions to promotes children's listening and attention skills. However, in the room for two- and three-year-olds, children with SEND tend to wander off during these discussion times. Alternative quality interactions are not provided for children with SEND, to support their learning effectively.

When pre-school children begin to lose focus during story time, alternative experiences are provided. However, staff do not consider how any new experiences will focus on promoting their listening and attention skills.Staff plan lots of physical play opportunities for all children.

In the baby room, children use their senses as they explore cornflour. They touch and feel the cornflour and grasp the animals out of it. Staff provide increased opportunities for older children to develop their fine motor skills.

For example, children use sticks to make marks in flour and cornflour, and they use their hands to manipulate play dough.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children remain protected from potential harm, as staff are aware of a wide range of possible indicators of abuse.

They understand what inappropriate conduct and behaviour are and would report this to management. Leaders and managers review staff's knowledge of children protection to ensure that it remains up to date. Most staff hold current first-aid certificates, enabling them to respond swiftly to medical emergencies.

Clear recruitment, vetting and induction procedures are followed to ensure the suitability of staff working with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure interventions identified for children with SEND are consistently implemented by all staff.14/12/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider the organisation of snack time to fully ensure children aged two to three years are consistently supported and encouraged, where appropriate, to learn appropriate expectations while eating support staff to be consistent when manging children's behaviour so that they help children to learn when their behaviour is not in accordance with the rules consider how to share books with babies more effectively review the organisation and grouping of pre-school children during story time so that staff remain focused and continue to build on children's listening and attention skills.