Learnaid Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children and parents receive a warm welcome as they arrive at the nursery. Children show that they feel safe and secure as they easily separate from their parents and are eager to talk to their key person.

Staff, children and parents have strong and friendly attachments, which supports children's emotional development.Children are respectful and kind, and they behave well overall. They are excited to start new activities and eagerly sit at the table waiting to help a member of staff to prepare the morning and afternoon snack.

Children listen and follow simple instructions given to them by adults. Staff have high expect...ations for each child. Children's developing independence skills are supported effectively.

For example, staff encourage children to spread butter onto crackers in preparation for their snack.Children build impressive speaking skills. Staff emphasise key vocabulary at every opportunity for children to practise and master.

New vocabulary, linked to the book of the week 'A Squash and a Squeeze' is carefully planned into wider activities. For example, children practise using the words 'squash' and 'squeeze' in context through thoughtfully planned activities, such as making their own fruit juice. Staff model these words and children use them in their play.

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

The manager and staff team consider parents' views and incorporate these into the wider curriculum. For example, parents attending the nursery's parent leadership group expressed an interest in teaching their children about online safety. Staff plan developmentally appropriate activities to support children's understanding of this topic.

This supports parents effectively to help their children to understand how to keep themselves safe online.Children's love of reading is promoted very well. Key vocabulary from books is embedded into the curriculum and children are offered weekly opportunities to vote for the book of the week.

Children seek out staff to share their favourite books with indoors and outdoors. Parents are encouraged to borrow books from a library to read with their child at home. Children's emerging literacy skills are supported.

The manager has developed a clear and ambitious curriculum, securely rooted in the knowledge of how children learn. Staff focus on building the skills that children need for each stage in their learning. For example, group times are planned to support the developmental needs of the children.

Older children practise letter sounds, and younger children practise making animal noises. This targeted approach supports children to become secure in their listening and attention skills.There are clear routines throughout the nursery day.

However, the transitions between activities and routines, such as tidy-up time and moving from outdoor to indoor spaces, are not always organised effectively. Staff do not consistently follow the same strategies to indicate changes in routine. This means that children occasionally become confused and restless.

Sometimes, their usually good behaviour deteriorates.The nursery supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. They have implemented the use of a language screening assessment to identify children's current language skills and support early intervention.

The assessment is used consistently with all children, and staff share ideas with parents to follow at home if a need is identified. This helps all children to make good progress.Leaders and staff recognise that parents interact in different ways.

They use a variety of methods to engage with parents, such as daily updates, regular parents' meetings, workshops and an online app. Parents are invited to stay and play with their child every Monday. Partnerships with parents are evidently strong.

Parents comment on the truly amazing care and attention their children receive when attending the nursery.The manager is committed to securing continuous improvements to the nursery, based on an agreed plan of action. She has clear strategies in place to coach, upskill and mentor staff.

Staff access professional development opportunities that enable them to progress in their roles and further support the needs of the children in the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe.

They receive child protection training and regularly update their safeguarding knowledge. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and discuss weekly safeguarding scenarios in meetings. The manager and staff know the procedures to follow to report safeguarding concerns to the relevant authorities.

The recruitment process is robust and all staff undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks to make sure that they are suitable to work with children. Staff carry out regular risk assessments to ensure that the environment is safe for children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review and improve the organisation of routine transition times to help these to be smooth and calm learning opportunities.

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