Shapes Day Nursery Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome when they arrive at nursery. The staff offer children a range of experiences in the nursery and their local community.

For example, they walk to post letters in the village and go on nature walks to collect conkers, twigs and leaves. Children also take part in additional activities in nursery led by outside professionals, such as Spanish and drama sessions. This helps to extend children's experiences and their understanding of the wider world.

Mealtimes offer children opportunities to be independent. For example, babies start to use spoons to try and feed themselves. Pre-school children ...also attempt to serve their own portions of food.

Staff support them to use age-appropriate serving spoons and bowls. They also guide them to pour water from a jug into their own beaker. Staff praise the children as they develop the skills to complete these tasks.

All children enjoy exploring different textures through sensory and creative activities. In the baby room, children explore the texture of different objects. They feel objects such as pom-poms in baskets of sensory items.

They also enjoy being creative as they play with musical shakers. Toddlers make their own pretend fires using coloured spaghetti and rice. They discuss the texture and comment that it feels 'soft' and 'squidgy'.

Pre-school children paint firework pictures and use paint and glitter to represent the fireworks.

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

The staff team works very well together. Staff recognise the support they receive from the manager.

The management team has effective systems to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Senior staff play an active role in supporting the less experienced staff. For example, they observe staff practice and identify areas for future development.

There is a continued commitment to improve and move the setting forward.The manager has clear intentions for helping children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She ensures that children with SEND are promptly identified and that support strategies are put in place.

However, staff do not consistently implement and utilise the support strategies for these children in practice. Therefore, there is scope for the manager to provide staff with more support in this area to help children reach their full potential.Children have access to a wealth of outdoor resources.

This helps to promote their physical development, and they all make good progress in this area. For example, older children climb steps on a slide and become more confident as they try to throw and catch balls. Toddlers develop their balance as they ride tricycles and jump from play equipment.

In the baby room, staff are proactive to ensure children are ready to take their first few steps. They encourage babies to stand and practise walking with appropriate support.Children enjoy healthy meals in nursery.

They learn the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. However, staff do not consistently implement the best hygiene practices. For example, at times, children are not reminded to put their hand over their mouth when coughing, and staff do not always recognise that a child's nose may need wiping.

Staff consistently extend children's mathematical skills. For example, they incorporate counting and simple calculations into children's play and activities. Older children try to solve addition problems, such as adding one more and working out how many that makes.

They also count in other contexts, such as water play. For example, children count the number of beakers they need to fill a large jar of water.Children's communication skills develop well.

They listen to a range of stories, songs and rhymes. Babies recognise familiar songs. For example, they smile and sway to the rhyme 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat'.

They also bang drums and shake bells as they listen. Toddlers enjoy sharing books with their key person. They point to an animal they recognise, say its name and make the correct animal sound.

As children play, staff ask open-ended questions. They support children to develop their speech further and extend their learning. For example, staff ask children 'How do we put a fire out?' and 'Why do we need to do that?' as they discuss fire safety.

Parental engagement is good and the relationships between parents and staff are strong. Staff use many different methods to communicate information to parents, including conversations on a daily basis, newsletters and the use of an online app. Parents describe the staff team as 'approachable' and 'friendly'.

Settling-in arrangements and well-planned transitions between rooms provide continuity of care, learning and development for children and their parents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children are safe and secure.

There is an intercom system at the door so staff can check who is there before opening the door. This ensures that no unauthorised visitors can enter the premises. Staff carry out thorough risk assessments for the indoor and outdoor areas.

They are vigilant throughout the day to reduce any risks to children. For example, they check that gate locks and stair gates are secure. There are thorough recruitment procedures in place to keep children safe.

Staff have a clear understanding of safeguarding and child protection. They understand how to report any concerns and the necessary procedures they need to follow to protect children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to embed the curriculum intent for children with SEND more consistently in practice, to help children reach their full potential nimprove staff practice to help them better support children in managing their own personal hygiene.