Kingsland Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children settle quickly and happily when they arrive at the setting. They are greeted warmly by all staff, which gives them a sense of belonging.

Staff support children and are quick to offer comfort and additional reassurance to children when needed.The acting manager has clear intentions for children's learning and endeavours to support staff to understand these. However, staff do not consistently implement the curriculum effectively in their practice.

Although staff are attentive and spend time with children as they play, they do not focus their interactions sufficiently well to extend children's knowledge and learning.... At times, activities, particularly for the older or most-able children, lack challenge. This inhibits children from making the amount of progress that they are capable of.

Staff do not always think enough about how large-group activities, such as story time, meet the needs of both the youngest and oldest children. Younger children's concentration wanders and, at times, staff do not probe older children's thinking, such as by using searching questions to extend their thoughts and understanding.Overall, most children play well together, sharing and taking turns.

Staff give clear explanations and deal with any minimal disruptions sensitively. Staff work hard to learn about children's lives outside of the nursery and build effective relationships with parents. The acting manager and nursery coordinator are aware of the areas for improvement within the nursery and are proactively planning ways to address them.

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

There has been a significant period of transition since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the turnover of staff has contributed to inconsistencies in the daily running of the setting. The setting has operated without a permanent manager for too long and this is having a negative impact across all areas of the provision. Work is underway to identify and act on weaknesses in the provision.

However, systems for self-evaluation have not been fully effective in enabling the team to recognise all areas in which they need to improve.The quality of education is inconsistent. Staff observe and assess children's development, but it is not always clear if their next steps are understood or accurate.

Staff do not effectively provide children with the support and challenge they need to get there. For example, one of the intentions of the curriculum is to support children's speech and language development. Although staff spend time playing and interacting with children, they do not always extend children's learning when they initiate conversation.

During a story-time activity, children are eager to talk about the story and the pictures. Although staff acknowledge what children are saying, they do not provide opportunities for children to express their thoughts and ideas.Staff provide consistent messages and soothingly reassure children when necessary.

They offer praise and reminders about how to be considerate towards each other, such as taking turns. Consequently, children develop an understanding of how to play cooperatively together.The acting manager works closely with the local authority to provide support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and to identify children who need additional support.

However, there are times when some staff working with children do not have a good enough understanding of individual children's developmental needs to support their learning in appropriate ways.The lack of a permanent manager to help identify weaknesses in teaching is apparent. The acting manager provides supervision sporadically; however, she provides daily hands-on support to help staff to develop their practice.

Staff comment that they feel supported in their role.Children who speak English as an additional language are sometimes at a disadvantage. Staff do not talk to parents about the languages that children are learning at home.

Staff do not discuss or agree strategies as to how they can help children to develop and use their home languages in their play and learning. This does not sufficiently support children's language development.Parents comment positively about the nursery.

They say that staff are friendly and approachable. They share that their children enjoy going to nursery and that they receive information that keeps them informed about their child's day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a satisfactory understanding of their role in protecting children who may be at risk of harm. They are alert to the possible indicators of when a child may need help and know the relevant agencies to contact for guidance. Staff undertake regular child protection training, and are aware of the correct procedures to follow should there be an allegation.

The provider follows secure recruitment procedures to help to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. New staff complete an induction programme to enable them to become familiar with the policies and procedures. The front entrance is securely locked to reduce any risk of unauthorised entry or children leaving the premises unnoticed.

Staff carry out daily checks of the indoor and outdoor environment to ensure that these remain safe for 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 that there is a qualified manager in place who has sufficient knowledge, skills and capabilities to carry out their role and responsibilities effectively 31/07/2023 improve staff's planning and delivery of activities to ensure that all children are consistently engaged in challenging and purposeful play, and help children to make the best possible progress, particularly in their communication and language development 31/07/2023 broaden the opportunities for staff training and development, in particular to focus on how to support all children's individual learning needs, including children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.31/07/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider how group times are organised to better meet the needs of the youngest children as well as those of the oldest children strengthen systems for self-evaluation to identify areas for improvement and raise the quality of the setting nimprove performance management to ensure that staff receive regular opportunities to review their practice and develop their professional knowledge.