Park Hall Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's communication and literacy development, and provide a curriculum that stories form the basis of. During story sessions, staff model clear voices with lots of expression and intonation to captivate children's interest.

Staff plan post-reading activities that underpin all other areas of children's learning and help them to fully understand key concepts in the stories. Staff adapt experiences to sequence children's learning and to help them to make progress.Pre-school children are engrossed as they listen to a story about a fish with shimmering scales.

Staff introduce lots of so...phisticated vocabulary and check children understand the meaning of each new word. They build on and develop children's knowledge of letters and sounds. Children recall what they have learned as they play with the enticing small world 'under the sea' sensory activity and make paper mache fish.

Two-year-olds enjoy listening to the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Staff encourage them to act out the scenes in the story and to say the repeated phrases. Staff help older babies to learn the names of farm animals and the sounds they make.

Staff sing songs to the children about animals and encourage them to explore the appealing small world sensory farm. Younger babies watch and listen to the noises as the items swirl around inside the home-made sensory bottles.Staff listen to children's ideas, feelings and opinions.

They offer cuddles and hugs when needed. Staff teach children the rules they need to follow to keep themselves safe and to show respect towards others. Children feel valued and understood, and confidently engage in new experiences.

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

The management team members have worked very closely with the local authority adviser to ensure significant improvements have been made since the last inspection. As a result, they maintain the correct adult-to-child ratios at all times. Additionally, staff make sure that fresh drinking water is constantly available and that children's mealtime routines promote their good health.

The management team has worked hard to create an engaging outside play area that provides lots of varied activities for children to do on a daily basis. For example, children have opportunities to run, climb, play football and use an assortment of sit-on toys. They investigate as they play in the large sandpit, and pour water back and forth between the metal buckets on the outdoor weighing scales.

The management team analyses and reflects on the progress of specific groups of children across all the relevant areas of learning. Any group weaknesses are swiftly identified and planned for. Staff regularly observe children in their play and make accurate assessments of what children know and can do.

However, the staff who work with the younger children do not consistently build on what children need to learn next. As a result, these children have fewer opportunities to embed the new skills they are learning.Staff follow a theme-based curriculum that provides activities and experiences across all areas of children's learning.

They provide a supportive environment in which activities are led by children and based on their interests. However, staff who work with the two-year-old children provide fewer opportunities for children to experience sensory play.Staff skilfully identify and support children who need extra help.

They plan effective, supportive interventions. Staff work closely with parents to share information about what is working well at home and in the nursery. Parents spoken with feel that staff work hard to promote children's confidence, communication skills and knowledge of numbers.

Staff ensure that children are emotionally prepared for their move into school. For example, teachers from the local primary schools attend the nursery to introduce themselves and talk to the children. Staff use a range of successful strategies to manage children's behaviour effectively.

This includes positively reinforcing children's good behaviour, in order to promote their self-esteem.The management team members are driven and clearly committed to improving the service offered. They challenge and share good practice across the nursery.

The management team has a clear overview of the nursery's strengths and priorities for development. Consequently, there are clear action plans in place and support for staff to further increase their skills and knowledge.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead has undertaken appropriate safeguarding training. Staff have a good understanding of the possible signs of abuse and a strong awareness of their responsibility to protect children from harm. They complete daily visual safety checks to minimise any hazards in the nursery.

Staff consistently supervise children to ensure their safety at all times. The management team ensures that robust safer recruitment procedures are followed.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the planning of activities to focus more sharply on the precise skills and knowledge children need to learn next nincrease the opportunities children have to develop their sensory skills and exploration of a variety of textures and materials.