Olney Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Overall, the nursery provides children with a curriculum that meets their needs.

Staff understand about children's age and stage of development and are ambitious for what they can achieve. Children enjoy their time at the nursery. They are enthusiastic and show their engagement at activities as they persevere with tasks, such as painting.

However, some aspects of their learning are variable. For example, they do not fully learn about the importance of eating a healthy diet. Information is not shared effectively with children's parents to provide them with consistency in their learning.

Despite these weaknesses, c...hildren form close relationships with their peers and the adults who care for them. Staff focus on supporting children to be sociable and to get along with others. Children's behaviour is consistently good.

There is a relaxed and calm atmosphere at the nursery, where children develop into confident and curious individuals. Children are strong communicators and express themselves and their needs well. They enjoy reading books and stories with staff and are developing their early reading skills.

Some children are starting to recognise individual letters and words. Staff encourage children to begin to take care of their personal needs. For example, children line up and wash their hands thoroughly before eating their lunch.

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

Staff implement a generally well-planned curriculum that provides children with a strong sense of identity and understanding of their local community. Staff take children on regular trips within the local area. For example, they visit the shops and post letters home.

This helps to develop their sense of belonging.The manager is introducing new ways of implementing the curriculum and evaluates and reviews how well it helps children to develop. Staff share their views to help improve the quality of teaching and learning for children.

The curriculum helps to introduce children to the concept of healthy eating. However, this is not effectively communicated to parents. Some children do not eat healthily while at the nursery.

On occasion, children's packed lunches consist of sweets and crisps, which are detrimental to their oral health.Children's communication and language development is good. Staff recognise when children need extra help.

They use appropriate methods, such as flash cards and story books, to model language, repeat key words and help children to hear and use new words. Staff work effectively with other professionals to ensure that children receive targeted support when needed.Children develop their physical skills well.

In the garden, they practise climbing and sliding. Children take great delight in threading small beads to make bracelets. They demonstrate a real sense of achievement and excitement as they show their bracelets to staff.

These activities help children to increase strength, dexterity and control over their muscles.Children behave well and know what is expected from them. Staff quickly divert any boisterous behaviour and children are learning ways to manage their own behaviours, such as through talking and taking turns.

Children form close relationships with the staff who care for them and the key-person relationships are strong. These relationships contribute towards children's strong emotional stability and resilience. Staff are genuinely kind and caring, and children return to them for reassurance during the day, when needed.

Staff use several ways to share information with parents, such as newsletters and sessions where parents can come into the nursery. However, these are not effective. Some parents say they feel that they have insufficient information about how well their children are progressing and do not know what they can do to support their learning at home.

The manager welcomes parents into the setting, and drop off and collection times are beneficial for building relationships between the setting and families. However, during the early morning drop-off period, the main doors are left unlocked. This has the potential to pose a risk for children, as unknown persons could gain access to the building.

Staff work effectively together and have good support and supervision from the manager. Staff have opportunities to develop their professional skills through training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are effective recruitment and induction procedures for new staff to confirm that those who work with children are suitable to do so. The manager arranges staff to ensure that there are always suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of children. All staff are knowledgeable about their roles in keeping children safe.

Staff know about how to report any concerns about children's welfare to the designated person at the nursery for safeguarding. All staff know about the work of the local safeguarding partners and how they can work together to help keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that all food that children consume during their time at the nursery is healthy, balanced and nutritious to contribute towards their good health 09/05/2023 improve communication with parents and families, ensuring that they have a clear understanding about their child's progress and what they are learning so they know how to support child's development at home 09/05/2023 take action to strengthen the current risk assessments in relation to the security of the nursery, so the premises is safe and secure at all times of the nursery day.

09/05/2023