The Old Station Nursery, High Wycombe

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of teaching is variable. Older children receive good support and interactions from staff. However, in the baby room, some staff do not provide children with appropriate support with their communication and language skills to meet their individual needs.

This has an impact on the progress that they make. Despite this, when more capable staff enter the room, this significantly improves, as these staff engage proactively with the children and they enjoy activities such as singing.Although not all of the early years foundation stage requirements are met, all staff offer comfort to the children and there is a suitable key-p...erson system in place.

This helps the children to feel secure and settle well. Children show that they are happy and feel safe. They show interest in the toys and activities available to them and these link well to the curriculum.

Children demonstrate a friendly attitude towards each other. For instance, younger children smile at their friends and older children are seen to share and take turns well. When teaching is of better quality, children are motivated.

For example, older children are imaginative and excited to play. They have fun as they go in the garden, where they explore in the large sandpit and hunt for bugs. Staff outside support children to learn new skills such as negotiating ramps on the obstacle course, and they interweave early mathematical concepts such as counting into children's play.

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

The nursery currently has a covering manager on site, who started a few months ago. She has reflected well and has a suitable understanding of what is needed to improve the nursery. She has started to implement some improvements, such as supervision and coaching, however these are in their infancy in raising the quality.

Nevertheless, some improvements have been instant, such as changes to the lunchtime routine for the older children. This has helped older children to develop their independence in preparation for their eventual move to school.Staff offer a varied curriculum.

For example, children have opportunities to be creative and explore with a different range of media and materials. Older children enjoy exploring vegetables and fruits in paints and younger children explore with water and foam. However, due to the inconsistency in staff interactions, teaching is not always of good quality.

Staff know their key children well and they can talk about the progress children are making. However, not all children make the progress they are capable of due to the weakness in supporting children's communication and language. Staff do not provide the necessary support for children with identified gaps in their speaking skills to help them make sufficient progress.

The nursery has an appropriate outdoor play area which allows children to develop their large physical skills. There are renovation plans in place to enhance this for the coming year. However, the children in the baby room do not have opportunities to go outside or engage in outdoor activities daily, which is not conducive to their well-being.

Despite this, older children enjoy the time they have outside, where they have fun being physically active.There are good systems in place to obtain information from parents when children first start at the nursery. However, the feedback from staff both verbally and on the online app is not consistent and does not help parents to gain a full understanding of how their children have been.

This does not promote continuity of care. Nevertheless, some parents comment that they have seen some changes with the new manager, although information-sharing is still not fully effective.Children behave well.

Staff support children's emotional development and health successfully. They offer children a good amount of praise and encouragement as they follow good hygiene routines. Children are offered healthy meals and snacks which they clearly enjoy.

Staff encourage self-help skills well. For example, older children pour their own drinks and younger babies are given spoons to feed themselves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure that those working with children are suitable for their role. This includes staff moving from a linked nursery. Staff, including the designated safeguarding officers, have a suitable knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children.

They know the signs and indicators that may mean a child is at risk and understand the action to take if they had concerns about a child's welfare or a colleague's practice. The premises are secure and sufficient risk assessments are in place to ensure children's safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date provide staff with effective supervision and coaching to ensure they can fulfil their roles and responsibilities, particularly in regard to engaging with children and supporting their communication and language skills to help them achieve their next stage of learning 10/08/2023 ensure all children have daily opportunities to take part in outside activities 10/08/2023 improve the communication with parents to help them to know and understand how their children are progressing, to promote greater consistency between the home and setting.

10/08/2023

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