Little Gems Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff use their observations and assessments of children's learning well to plan activities and experiences that build on what children know and can do. Older children use chalk to write letters on the ground outside and identify their sounds.

Children have many opportunities to be creative, to develop their sensory skills and to explore of a variety of textures and materials. For example, older children explore, predict and problem solve as they attempt to free the small-world animals from the large blocks of ice. They use tools to chip away at the ice and then pour warm water onto the ice to melt it.

Younger children... are engrossed in their play as they use their fingers to squash the jelly and to search for the hidden sea animals. They learn to identify and name the sea animals.Children make links with community members, such as the local fire fighters who visit the nursery.

They sit in the fire engine, dress up as fire fighters and hold the fire hose. Children are very excited and ask lots of questions. Staff take the children to the library and read a range of books with them.

This helps to develop children's love of books. Children develop strong bonds with staff who help them feel safe and secure. They are self-confident and keen to learn.

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

The management team have worked very closely with the local authority adviser to ensure significant improvements have been made since the last inspection. As a result, staff follow a monthly themed curriculum that provides exciting activities and experiences across all areas of children's learning. These themes follow children's interests, incorporate what staff are trying to help children to learn next and build children's vocabulary.

Staff make sure that circle time provides older children with regular opportunities to learn about their feelings and to build their social, communication and mathematical skills. However, on occasions, staff miss opportunities to engage less-confident children in group singing activities.Staff regularly share information about children's progress with parents, such as through daily discussions and parents' evenings.

Parents spoken to value the comfort and reassurance that staff provide to new children to help them settle in and feel secure.Staff are passionate about understanding and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work in partnership with parents, the nursery's special educational needs coordinator and any other professionals involved.

This joined-up-approach helps children with SEND to make the best possible progress.Staff provide children with opportunities to explore and learn about healthy foods in an engaging way, separate from mealtimes. For example, they explore pomegranates, make fruit salads and cook scrambled egg.

This, along with discussion, helps to consolidate children's learning.Staff take the children to the local outdoor playground. Here, they pick up leaves and sticks and watch the birds.

Staff provide children with regular opportunities to develop their balance and coordination skills outdoors. For example, children play on the see-saw and numerous ride-on toys. This helps children to learn to take manageable risks and experience challenge in their play.

Children have good opportunities to learn about the similarities and differences in people. For example, they learn about religions and cultures that are different to their own, and they hear other children and staff speak in various languages. Staff provide effective support for children who speak English as an additional language.

They are positive role models for children. Children behave well.The management team regularly observes and evaluates staff's teaching practice.

They also provide individual meetings with staff where they can discuss any concerns and their developmental opportunities. This helps to ensure staff's teaching practice is consistently good.The management team regularly attends the early years network meetings run by the local authority.

This, along with training, helps them to make sure that they are constantly updated with new legislation and national and local initiatives. However, the management team do not always fully explore how additional grants can be precisely targeted to help socially disadvantaged children make the greatest possible progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead has undertaken appropriate safeguarding training. Staff have a good understanding of the possible signs of abuse and a strong awareness of their duty to report any concerns in a timely manner. They complete daily visual safety checks to minimise any hazards in the environment and continuously check that children are kept safe.

The management team ensures that robust safer recruitment procedures are followed. Staff inform parents of any accidents and the treatment given to help promote the well-being of children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance less-confident children's enjoyment and involvement in group singing activities nanalyse further how to best use the early years pupil premium funding and assess the impact it has on the outcomes for children, so that all children's learning is promoted to the highest possible level.

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