Odds Farm Park Day Nursery and Activity Day Camps

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy and settled throughout the nursery.

The key-person arrangements are still developing. Babies develop secure attachments with staff and enjoy cuddles and reassurance. Toddlers enjoy talking about their morning, building on their communication and language skills well.

However, some children's attitudes and behaviours are not consistently good. Pre-schoolers do not listen and respond well to instructions from adults in the room. Older children struggle to regulate their emotions and become frustrated at times.

Staff do not set clear expectations to support children's understanding of daily routin...es and behavioural expectations.Children do not consistently benefit from good quality education. Some staff are not clear about what they plan for children to know or to be able to do next.

Children lead their own play. They make independent choices from the activities that they are offered. However, at times, children are not supported or challenged well enough to engage in purposeful play.

Some staff do not build on children's interests to extend their learning and development and help them to make the progress they are capable of.Children develop some secure physical skills. Toddlers begin to use cutlery confidently to feed themselves.

Older children enjoy frequent visits to the farm to feed the animals and explore the play equipment. They run and climb and use ride-on toys, and they particularly relish jumping in puddles.

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

The provider has a clear vision of what they want children to learn, which is shared with the leadership team.

However, recent changes to the nursery mean that some staff, including those who are newer to their roles, are unclear on the curriculum intent and how to implement this consistently. At times, some staff lack an understanding of how to plan effectively for children's learning. At times, older children lose interest quickly and move from one activity to the next in quick succession.

Staff do not support them to focus, concentrate and stay fully involved in their learning.Staff create an engaging environment with various activities that children enjoy. Children benefit from some hands-on experiences to learn about the natural world.

For instance, older children are excited to visit the farm and feed the pigs and goats. Staff talk about the animals, teaching children about where animals live and the foods they eat.Staff are inconsistent in their approach to helping children learn about positive behaviour.

For example, at mealtimes, some children throw their plates into the washing-up bowl on the floor when they have finished their meal. They walk away and do not return to sit at the table, with their friends, for the rest of the mealtime. Staff do not use these opportunities to teach children about routines to help them learn about the rules and expectations.

However, staff who work with younger children teach them about sharing toys with their friends, as they play cooperatively together.Children benefit from some opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. For instance, during snack time, staff encourage children to choose favourite fruits.

They cut and slice oranges as they talk about making orange juice. Staff teach children how they can squeeze the oranges to make juice. Children talk about how much they enjoy the taste, as staff teach children about foods that support their good health.

Children develop strong bonds with staff. However, recent staff changes have impacted on the effectiveness of the key-person role. Some parents are unsure of who their child's key person is as these changes have not been communicated effectively.

Staff who work with younger children share information with parents to support their care routines. However, these relationships are not yet established with older children's parents. Some pre-schoolers' parents said they were unsure what their children are learning about and how they can support their children's learning at home.

Staff encourage children to be independent and to do things for themselves. Children follow good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands after feeding the animals at the farm and before they sit to eat. Older children are independent in toileting routines.

This helps them to gain skills that prepare them for their next stage in learning, including school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff know how to identify children who may be at risk of abuse.

They understand the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures and how to report and escalate concerns about children's welfare. Staff demonstrate their knowledge of the procedures they would follow if an allegation was made against a member of staff. They are aware of the signs and indicators of abuse, including children at risk of extreme views or radicalisation and female genital mutilation.

The premises are secure. Effective risk assessments are in place to ensure that the premises and equipment are safe and fit for purpose.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the support and coaching for newer staff to enable them to understand the curriculum intent so that they can plan effectively to support children's learning support staff to promote children's positive behaviour by providing consistent opportunities for them to understand the behaviour that is expected of them develop an effective key-person system so that parents know and understand their children's progress and how they can continue learning at home.