Mongewell Park Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children develop their confidence well. They are self-assured and happily approach adults to talk to them or for a cuddle. Children show a strong interest in the activities and engage well with these, either on their own or with their friends and staff.

Babies and young toddlers enjoy interesting sensory activities, including exploring pinecones, real flowers and dough, with high levels of curiosity. Children develop good language skills. Staff talk to children about what they are doing and introduce new words and descriptive language.

Younger toddlers learn the words to stories and songs. They confidently repeat famil...iar words and phrases. Older toddlers develop their speaking skills securely, such as when they recall and tell their friends about travelling on a bus.

Children's creativity is valued. For instance, older toddlers use materials and tools to create buildings after reading a story about a builder. Older children develop their mathematical understanding well.

They measured how far cars rolled down a ramp, and counted and talked about which car went the 'furthest' and 'fastest'. Children challenge their physical skills effectively. For example, older toddlers refined their skills when they aimed balls at a hoop.

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

Staff have worked hard to help children settle back in and to feel safe after they returned following the lockdown closure. Staff have addressed any gaps in children's development and they have sensitively provided additional support to children feeling anxious on their return. They have helped children become familiar again with the expectations of behaviour and supported the development of positive relationships.

Staff know their key children well. They and their key person buddy have a secure understanding of children's needs, progress and what they need to learn next. Staff provide good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

They ensure that these children are fully included in activities to support their learning. Staff work closely with parents and any professionals involved to provide a consistent approach to support children's individual needs, to help them make further progress.Overall, staff extend sequence and develop children's learning well.

For example, pre-school room staff remind children about what they have done during previous activities to build on their learning. Children then confidently use their knowledge to join in new activities with enthusiasm. At times, some staff in other rooms do not implement the curriculum as well as possible, such as encouraging children's independence.

This means staff sometimes do tasks for children rather than encourage them to have a go themselves.Children are developing an understanding of the routines and staff talk to them about what is going to happen next. However, staff in some rooms do not ensure changes in routine are consistently well managed.

This means on occasion that children are sometimes left waiting before they can be involved in purposeful play.Staff promote children's good awareness of keeping themselves safe. For example, younger children are reminded about sitting safely on the low chairs.

Staff help children manage potential risks. They make good use of 'Candy Floss' to remind children about safety. For example, staff talk to children about how 'Candy Floss' is looking out for 'walking feet' rather than 'running feet'.

Supervision and support for staff's professional development is secure and ongoing. Staff receive good mentoring and training, which helps develop their skills, understanding and practice. Staff's well-being is supported very well.

Staff comment that the management team's door is 'always open' and that they are regularly asked about how they are.Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Parents receive daily feedback from staff verbally and in writing about their child's day, such as about their care needs and daily activities.

However, some parents do not get as much detail about their child's learning and development, to help them understand how to further support this at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff, including those with a lead responsibility for safeguarding, securely know and understand their roles to protect children.

Staff understand how to recognise possible indicators that may mean children are at risk of harm. They know how to manage their concerns, including reporting to the safeguarding leads in the nursery or to external agencies. Information about child protection and wider safeguarding matters is readily available to staff.

Procedures to check staff's suitability to work with children are effective. There are regular reviews to check if there are any changes to staff's backgrounds that may be of concern.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to recognise and further develop children's independence to the best possible level review the organisation of some aspects of the day, such as transitions to other routine activities, so that all children stay focused and engaged in their learning consistently provide information to parents about their child's learning and development, to help support learning at home further.