Seaside Lane Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff warmly welcome children into the nursery. Children demonstrate that they are happy and feel safe.

Visual timetables help children identify what is going to happen next. Children explore a variety of activities that support their individual interests. For example, they enjoy making staff and visitors cups of 'coffee' in the outdoor area.

Staff ask questions, such as 'How do you make coffee?' Children concentrate and learn mathematical concepts as they fill and empty containers of water. Staff encourage children to develop a love of books. Each week begins with a story, which staff then weave through activities for... the rest of the week.

For example, children are creative when they assemble cardboard boxes to build the bridge from a story about a troll. Others are busy colouring and cutting out their pictures from the same story. They successfully count out the number of legs and teeth on their trolls and count the number of eyes on trolls they have made from dough.

Children behave well because staff have high expectations and effective behaviour management strategies in place.Leaders and staff are clear on the impact COVID-19 has had on children's development, with some children having experienced difficulty in adjusting to routines. Staff have worked tirelessly to improve the provision since the last inspection.

They are working with other professionals as part of a national scheme to boost recovery after the pandemic. This helps to close any gaps in children's learning.

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

Children benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum.

Staff use ongoing assessments to identify children's next steps in learning. For example, they encourage communication and language through stories. Children fill in the missing words to phrases as staff read to them.

They talk about the characters and what is about to happen next.Daily routines are positive and promote independence. At breakfast, toddlers independently use a dispenser to serve themselves cereal.

They successfully use small jugs to pour their milk. Hygiene is promoted throughout the setting. Children are reminded to wipe their noses and wash their hands.

They access the toilets independently.Children have opportunities to develop their physical activities through play. For example, they take part in a music session that involves playing with dough.

They use the dough to splat, roll and pinch, and move the dough from one hand to another to the rhythm of music. This develops small-muscle control and strengthens their hands for early writing.Children bring their own lunch to nursery.

Staff have created an informative display for parents, with ideas for nutritious lunches. They sit with children at mealtimes, and support conversations and good manners. For example, they discuss how healthy cucumbers and grapes are for our bodies.

Children develop good listening and attention skills. Staff have introduced a 'welcome time'. Children sit together and sing a song to welcome their friends.

They learn about the days of the week and the date. They discuss the weather. Children delightedly volunteer to be that day's 'weather reporter'.

This prepares them well for longer, more focused group times, as they eventually move on to school.Staff use a good range of strategies to involve parents in their children's learning. For example, parents send in cardboard boxes so that children can be creative in building bridges from a story.

Staff support them well with ideas on how to continue this learning at home. Parents state that staff know their children well and children enjoy attending the setting.Staff teach children about the wider world.

They learn about familiar festivals, such as Christmas, Easter and Chinese New Year. However, staff do not always provide meaningful teaching for children to develop an awareness of different cultures, festivals and ways of life that are less familiar to them.Overall, staff know the individual needs of children well.

They have a good understanding of children's personalities and learning needs. Most children make good progress from their individual starting points. However, for children who speak English as an additional language, staff have not considered learning further information about their development in their home language.

Staff describe how they feel very well supported by leaders and feel part of a cohesive team. They benefit from regular staff meetings and engage in peer observations. There are systems in place for leaders to identify training needs to improve the quality of practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a clear understanding of their roles and how to report concerns about children. They have received training and confidently talk about the signs of abuse.

Recruitment procedures are robust. All staff hold full and relevant qualifications and have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. Leaders demonstrate the ongoing suitability checks that are carried out.

There is an effective whistle-blowing procedure to ensure that staff know how to report concerns about colleagues. Staff are vigilant about children's safety and carry out daily checks to ensure that the premises and outdoor area are safe. Staff assess risks throughout the day.

For example, staff discuss the high temperatures that day and make informed decisions about the safety of the outdoor area. Consequently, children are kept safe throughout the day.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the curriculum to help children to consistently understand differences and similarities of people, cultures and communities different to their own consider how to use languages, in addition to English, that children or their families speak at home, in order to support children in their communication and language development.

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