Scallywags Nursery Chelmsford

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are at the heart of this authentic and inspirational nursery.

They quickly become deeply engaged in their enriching and stimulating environment. Children are incredibly confident and sociable and make informed decisions about what they would like to do with the support from expert and nurturing staff. Children form warm and strong relationships with their key person.

Staff continuously challenge children's learning and support collaborative play. They encourage children to choose between exploring a stimulating indoors provision, or accessing the outdoor space, which is set with real-life resources and ...activities. For example, in the outdoor classroom, children are absolutely fascinated to make their own car.

They work well as a team to put the wheels together, then add a large wooden beam to sit on. Children count the wheels and work out how many they still need. This helps supports their problem-solving and mathematical skills.

When they complete the task, children eagerly ride on it, pretending to be going home, laughing and giggling with excitement. This builds on children's role-play skills, imagination and strengthens their social interactions. Supportive staff have high expectations of children and they rise to the challenge by following the nursery's routines and rituals exceptionally well.

Babies form strong attachments with their key person while older children develop skills needed to become positive learners. As a result, children feel valued and very happy.

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

Leaders have created a rich and unique curriculum, which is extremely well sequenced and embedded across the nursery.

Staff are exemplary role models, enthusiastic and passionate and have a clear vision about what they want children to learn. For example, babies are mesmerised when they engage in a Christmas story, and a sing and sign session. They use various props with great confidence and learn new words such as 'snowman' and 'Santa.

Staff make effective use of Makaton signing across the nursery, particularly with younger children and those requiring additional support.Staff support children's understanding of the world exceptionally well. They find creative ways, inspired from the nature, to broaden children's experiences, knowledge and skills.

For example, older children have an amazing time in the garden exploring the mud kitchen. They investigate natural resources with curiosity and interest and engage in pretend play with their peers. Children make their own potions or food, skilfully using real tools and utensils.

This also helps further develop their fine motor skills, creativity and imagination.Staff create fantastic opportunities for the children to build on their hand-to-eye coordination and mathematical skills. For example, older children can use hammers and nails effectively to create a structure, understanding and adhering to safety measures.

This supports risk taking and boosts their self-esteem and confidence. Furthermore, children learn to be active and healthy to build on their gross motor skills, balance, and coordination. Babies enjoy time in the garden or going on walks, while older children laugh with joy as they explore obstacle courses.

Children's natural curiosity is fostered through reading stories, independently or with the staff. As children become immersed in the narrative of their favourite stories, they engage in meaningful discussions about the characters and events. Children learn new words such as 'sugarplum' and 'hibernate' and confidently identify similar words for 'big', such as 'huge' and 'ginormous'.

They then securely count the reindeers and predict what will happen next. As a result, children develop a passion for literature which supports their early reading skills.Partnerships with parents are exceptional.

Parents praise the 'inspirational activities and the heuristic approach to education' their children receive, and value the tremendous progress they make. They are very thankful for the detailed updates they receive about their children's development. Parents feel involved in their children's learning journey and comment that staff always go 'above and beyond' to make a positive difference.

The ethos and vision for the nursery is ambitious and focused on positive outcomes for children. Leadership across the nursery is inspirational and inclusive. Leaders value staff, including their well-being and professional development, creating a supportive culture.

Leaders' continuous commitment to ensure all children receive the best start to their early education is shared with all staff. They receive focused supervision and training opportunities to ensure their career progression.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and leaders have secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. This includes aspects, such as female genital mutilation and 'Prevent' duty. They also have deep knowledge and understanding of how to deal with disclosures and make referrals to relevant professionals to protect children from harm.

There is a robust induction process in place to ensure all staff complete regular and relevant training, to keep their safeguarding knowledge current. Policies and procedures are robust, effective and updated regularly. These are implemented accordingly and shared with staff and parents.

Risk assessments are robust and completed daily. Furthermore, effective staff deployments means that children are well supervised and cared for. This helps to assure children's safety and welfare.