Puddle Jumpers Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children generally arrive happy and quickly settle at nursery.

They behave well and learn to understand the importance of sharing and taking turns. However, the recent staff turnover has had an impact on the consistency of care and learning experiences offered to children. The key-person arrangements are not secure for all children.

This results in some quieter children being overlooked. For example, younger children do not always receive sufficient interactions to support their developing communication and language skills. This is because staff do not pick up on children's attempts to speak or engage with them.

...Most parents are happy with the care their children receive. However, some parents share that communication with them is not always effective when there are changes to their child's key person. The quality of teaching for older children is effective.

Staff are skilled in engaging children's listening and concentration skills, as they read stories with enthusiasm. Children are knowledgeable about the writing process because staff include them in conversations about the author and illustrator of the book. Children are confident to ask questions with staff, who take the time to listen and explore their ideas.

Younger babies demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They are excited to go on outings in the local community. Staff plan for these learning experiences effectively.

For example, they give babies the opportunity to observe their natural environment as they stop to observe the ducks swimming and talk about the wildlife they can see. Babies enjoy cuddles with staff, which demonstrates the development of secure attachments. However, their privacy is not fully considered, as their nappies are changed in an open area within the baby room.

This means that they are potentially visible to individuals, including visitors to the baby room.

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

The newly employed nursery manager has only been in post for a couple of weeks. She is working closely with her deputy.

They are both clear about their roles and responsibilities in driving forward improvement. They are confident to explain their intentions for delivering high-quality care and learning experiences. They are starting to identify what needs to improve and have an action plan in place.

The providers are working proactively with their managers to support these changes. However, the impact of proposed changes is yet to be embedded.Most staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how young children learn.

They can talk about the curriculum and the learning intentions they want children to achieve. However, the implementation of the curriculum is not consistent. This is because some staff are not skilled in their teaching practice.

For example, some staff working with the younger children are not skilled in modelling and supporting children's confidence in speaking. This is because they are too focused on asking direct questions, such as 'What colour is it?' and 'What fruit is this?', rather than taking time to listen to children and encourage them to express themselves. The result is that some children lose interest and do not engage.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported at the nursery. Staff are confident to discuss how they plan for children's next steps to help ensure they are making progress. The impact of this is that children are happy and settled at the nursery, with staff who plan around their interests.

Children are eager to engage in learning experiences, such as reading and making marks on the whiteboard. When children's behaviour becomes agitated, staff are skilled to intervene with appropriate support to quickly dispel unwanted behaviour.Staff say they are happy in their work.

They express that their well-being is supported by the new manager, who is taking time to get to know them. They comment that the providers are visible and come into nursery to speak with them regularly. Staff value professional training opportunities and team meetings.

However, the leadership team recognises that some staff need more support to lift their practice.Older children have developed secure relationships with one another. They are happy to see their friends on arrival and give each other hugs.

They are confident to initiate their own play, as well as to engage in planned learning experiences. They are developing valuable skills to support them in their move to school. For example, they can follow instructions to wash their hands before lunch.

They know they must share and wait their turn. For example, they share pipettes to squeeze food colouring into bowls of water. They are excited to share how they have mixed yellow and blue to make green.

Children are offered healthy meals and eat well. They have daily opportunities to be active and engage in physical play, both inside and outside. Daily outings are planned well to ensure that children stay safe.

Staff teach children the importance of holding hands and following instructions when crossing roads.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

They are confident to discuss the safeguarding procedures of the nursery. They are clear about the processes to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. They know the whistle-blowing procedures and confidently discuss how they would report matters to appropriate outside agencies.

The provider ensures that all staff attend regular safeguarding training. The recruitment procedures the check staff's suitability are robust. Managers continually monitor the environment through daily risk assessments.

These help to keep children safe, as any concerns are highlighted, and swift action is taken to remove or minimise risks.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure that arrangements for the supervision of staff are effective in monitoring their practice, particularly to help lift the quality of teaching 25/08/2023 strengthen the implementation of the key-person arrangements to ensure they consistently meet the needs of all children, ensuring parents are kept informed of any changes 25/08/2023 improve teaching practice to ensure that children of all ages receive consistent, high-quality interactions to support their developing communication and language skills.25/08/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove nappy changing arrangements to support children's privacy.