Primrose House Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy to start their day at this warm and welcoming nursery. Children feel safe and secure in the care of the familiar staff, who know children very well. Managers and staff have high expectations for what all children can learn and achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff plan activities that interest children and build on what they already know and can do. Staff use these activities to help children to increase their vocabulary. For example, they talk about about the 'squishy' and 'stretchy' play dough that they are moulding.

Children are able to think abo...ut what they want to say. While talking about animals, one child recalls a trip to the zoo. Staff take their time when listening and speaking to children.

Staff encourage children to recognise their own and others' feelings. This helps children to behave well.Children know the routine of the day and this starts with registration.

Children have opportunities to share their ideas and what they have done at home. This helps to give children a sense of belonging. Children feel valued as staff interact with them and show an interest in what they have to say.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff kept in contact with families to help parents continue their child's learning at home.

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

Staff understand how important communication and language development are for children. They have favourite books, stories and rhymes to engage children in learning.

Children recount familiar stories in different ways, using puppets and creative activities. They know what happens next in the story. They excitedly say, 'the tiger will eat everything!'.

Every opportunity is utilised to teach new vocabulary. At snack time, staff use words such as 'scrummy' and 'delicious'. This helps children to know more words and develop their communication skills.

Children are ready for their next stage in learning. This includes children with SEND. Skilled staff identify and put in place additional strategies to support children's learning.

Support from external professionals is accessed in a timely manner for those children who need it. Staff's assessments of children's progress are accurate, and staff plan appropriate next steps for each individual child. Staff know what children can do already and what they need to learn next.

This helps children to make good progress.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are very well behaved and play alongside each other well.

Staff are good role models and praise children for their good manners as they play in the water and take turns. This helps children to develop respect, understanding and tolerance for each other.Children develop independence skills as they chop their own snack using cutlery and pour their own drinks.

They practise putting on their own coats. Staff focus on developing children's confidence in what they can do. Staff are patient and caring.

Children are happy. They are becoming confident and developing resilience.The management team has a shared vision for the nursery, which they share with the staff team.

They aim to support children to make good progress and be ready for the next stage in their learning, including starting school. However, parents are not always fully informed of their child's daily activities. Managers are currently implementing additional initiatives to make it easier for parents to involve themselves in nursery life.

However, this is in the early stages and the impact is not yet clear.There is a strong induction and supervision process in place. Staff report that they feel their well-being is supported and their workload is manageable.

Managers ensure that staff have regular training to update their knowledge. However, some staff would benefit from further training to enhance their already good practice in supporting children's development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The whole team has a good knowledge of safeguarding. Staff know in detail what would make them concerned about a child's safety and welfare. They know how to record and report any concerns that they might have.

They know what would make them concerned about a colleague's conduct with children and how to report such a concern. Staff are aware of other safeguarding issues, such as domestic abuse and radicalisation. They have attended recent safeguarding and child protection training.

Staff have also taken part in paediatric first-aid training. Recruitment and vetting procedures are firmly embedded to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: further support staff to develop their already good knowledge and practice continue to embed ways of working in partnership with parents to ensure that parents are informed of their child's ongoing progress.