Mama Bear’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager and staff have a clear curriculum for supporting children's learning and development. Staff talk with parents and watch children as they play and learn.

They notice what children know and can do. They recognise when children may need additional support. They work in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure that children make the best possible progress.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop well. Children receive warm welcomes from staff and settle quickly into nursery. Babies and toddlers have fun outdoors.

Staff help children to... take their shoes off so that they can paddle in the water. The children laugh as they splash and make bubbles in the water with their hands and feet. Other children build with wooden blocks.

Staff model counting and help children to name and find different-coloured blocks.Children have plenty of space to explore indoors and outdoors. Staff make sure that there are exciting activities to engage and motivate children to learn.

Outdoors, children have opportunities to develop their physical skills. They work out how to climb the steps to the slide and then sit at the top to slide down. Older children join in yoga sessions.

They recall well what the different poses look like and how they need to balance on different parts of the body. Staff teach children how being active can help them to become fit and stay healthy.

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

Staff focus on children's communication.

They find out about children's home languages. They use words in their home languages along with signs and words in English to help children communicate and interact with others. Staff offer praise and encouragement for children's achievements.

Staff reward toddlers with words and by clapping their hands when children find the correct puzzle piece. Older children talk about changes. They explain how the ice melts as they squirt water from pipettes over it.

They persevere with the task until they free the shells which have been frozen inside. Children develop confidence in talking and keep trying at activities.Staff take account of children's interests and adapt activities accordingly.

Pre-school children show an interest in butterflies after spotting one in the garden. Staff set up a machine that creates a wind current to blow pretend butterflies into the air for the children to catch. Children use nets to catch the pretend butterflies.

Staff encourage mathematical and creative skills. They ask older children to count how many butterflies they catch. Younger ones name the different colours.

Staff ask questions that they know children know the answers to. They do not extend children's ideas, learning and skills as fully as possible.Partnership with parents is superb.

Where possible, siblings will have the same key person. This helps to build strong relationships with children and families. Key persons talk with parents at handover times.

They have a 'buddy' system so that there is always someone who knows the child well if the main key person is not available. An online application is available for parents too. They see photos and descriptions of what children do and learn throughout the day.

Parents comment that they value these as they can see that children are happy, learning and well cared for.When there are changes in the routine or group times, staff do not provide children with clear messages. For example, at snack and lunch times, staff ask children to help put toys away.

Some staff set up for the mealtimes and other staff start tidying up. However, they do not remind children to help. At the start of group times, when staff want children to join in, they do not explain to children what they need to do.

Some children continue playing or wandering around the play spaces and miss out on the learning activities.Children make choices about what they want to do and play with. Children explore the light-up toys in the dark den.

When they struggle to share, staff help to find a solution. They offer another similar toy or suggest using a sand timer so that children know when to swap toys over. Children respond well and start to play cooperatively with others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and deputy manager ensure that staff keep their safeguarding training up to date. Staff know potential signs of abuse.

They know how to record and act on concerns about the well-being of children and allegations about staff. Staff carry out regular checks on the play spaces to remove or minimise hazards. For example, morning checks on the baby garden and an area in the pre-school garden found them to be unsafe.

Staff have closed these areas. They will reopen them after they have been cleaned and made safe for use again following recent heavy rainfall.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove staff's support for children in ways that extend and enhance their learning and development nensure that staff provide children with clear messages to help them to join in activities and know what to do when the routine changes.