Little Stacks Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have adapted well to changes made to the way they arrive at the nursery, due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. They happily leave their parents at the main door and quickly settle to play. Staff have high expectations of children's abilities and encourage them to be independent.

Children make choices about what they want to play with and how they want to use the wide range of toys and equipment available. They serve themselves snack and confidently pour their own drinks.Children are developing a keen interest in the natural world.

They enjoy going on walks on the farm to see the pigs, sheep, alpacas and ...chickens. Children confidently explain to the inspector that chickens lay eggs and the eggs hatch into chicks that grow into chickens. They tell the inspector that there is a new baby alpaca on the farm, who is very tiny.

Children are supported to behave well. Any challenging behaviour is managed quickly and sensitively by staff. Children build meaningful friendships and enjoy each other's company.

They happily include others in their play. They work together to fill containers with water, which they then pour onto the grass in the garden to create puddles, so that they can jump and splash in them together.

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

The manager has been proactive in addressing the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection.

She regularly seeks feedback from staff, parents and children to help inform plans for improvement. Staff receive effective inductions, supervision and coaching. They understand their responsibility to promote children's learning and safeguard children's welfare.

The nursery is fully inclusive and effective at supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work in close partnership with a range of services to ensure that all children and families receive the support they need to make good progress.The staff know the children in their care well.

They precisely identify what they can do, and what they need to learn next. The curriculum is well planned to offer children a wide range of experiences based on their interests. However, some of the less experienced staff are less clear about the curriculum intention and what skills and knowledge they want children to learn.

Parents speak very positively about the care that their children receive at the nursery. They comment that the staff ensure that they are kept informed about their child's day via their online learning journals and by having daily conversations with them at drop off and collection times. Parents understand what areas of their child's learning and development are currently being supported and how they can help their child develop and practise new skills at home.

However, staff do not encourage parents to read with their child at home.Children continually engage in conversation with staff and their friends, Staff speak clearly to children and pronouns words correctly. Staff question pre-school aged children and give children time to think and respond.

Staff sensitively extend children's vocabulary, introducing them to new words, such as the names of the baby animals that live on the farm. Makaton signs are used to support toddlers emerging language. Children confidently sing and sign their favourite songs.

Staff support children to develop their thinking skills. Children experiment as they mix different colour chalks together to create new colours. They predict and recall the changes that will happen, drawing on their past experiences of mixing colours.

Children have good concentration skills and persevere in activities for extended periods of times.Staff provide children with ample opportunities to increase their physical skills and to be outdoors in the fresh air. Children eagerly explore the natural environment and learn how to manage risks.

They tell the inspector that they need to wear sun hats and put on sun cream on hot days as the sun bites their skin. Staff plan activities and outings to help broaden the experiences children get at home. They watch the farmer as he uses a combine harvester to harvest crops and cut the tall grass to make hay bales.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand their role and responsibility to keep children safe from harm. They can describe the signs and symptoms of abuse and know who to report any concerns to.

Staff understand the action they should take if they are concerned about the conduct of another member of staff or manager. Staff complete daily safety checks and continuously assess the environment for risks. They remove any hazards as soon as they are identified.

Staff supervise children well and teach them to keep themselves safe. Children know that they should not run inside and that they should not climb on furniture.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop less experienced staff's knowledge of the curriculum intent, so that they are clear about the skills and knowledge they want children to learn nencourage and support parents to foster their child's love of books and stories at home.