St Barnabas Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children flourish in this exceptionally well-managed and resourced environment.

Staff have the highest expectations of all the children in their care. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive as the staff are attentive to their individual learning styles. They feel happy and secure, which enables them to make exceptional progress.

All parents are incredibly pleased with the progress that their children make at the nursery, and they speak highly of the caring and dedicated staff. They receive regular feedback sessions about their children and feel well supported to continue childr...en's learning at home. If parents do not speak fluent English, the multilingual staff communicate with them in their home language.

The staff also lend children books to enjoy at home which are written in the children's home language. This helps to ensure that all children make the best possible progress. Children's independence is promoted throughout the day.

They take off their own coats and hang them on the pegs. They select their photo from the reception area and take it into the classroom and place it on the self-registration board. Children help themselves to cups and use a water dispenser to get a drink.

They are very independent in their self-care. For example, they wipe their own nose and wash their hands afterwards. These successful experiences help to prepare children for their next stage in education.

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

Staff are highly skilled, knowledgeable and know the children incredibly well. They communicate with non-verbal children and those with SEND in a way that all children understand. For example, when it is time for outdoor play, staff shake a rattle to signal that it is time to go outside.

The children are aware of what is happening next and are settled throughout the day.Children show fascination when playing with water. They move their hands rapidly in the water to make more bubbles.

Children thoroughly enjoy the sensory feel of the water. They gradually lean their whole upper arms into the water and watch with fascination as they hold their arms up and water drips from their elbows. Staff support children's early language exceptionally well.

They introduce new descriptive language, such as 'squeeze', 'squishy' and 'squashy', as they manipulate a soapy sponge in the water. Children listen attentively and copy the actions. In addition, staff hide plastic ducks below the water.

They enthusiastically engage the children and ask questions to encourage thinking and to introduce early mathematical language and concepts.Children are exceptionally well behaved. They sit attentively during group sessions, use their manners and wait for the staff to call their name before replying to questions asked.

Staff skilfully read stories to the children. They pause and ask questions, which enables the children to get totally absorbed and engrossed in the storytelling. Furthermore, staff use their whole bodies and a lot of gestures to explain what is happening in the story.

This superb practice is especially effective to involve the non-verbal children.Children enthral with excitement as they play in the very well-resourced outdoor environment and engage in physically challenging activities. During a favourite game, they climb on a low-level wall and hide behind a tree.

They hold their arms squeezed tightly against their bodies and their faces tense with excitement and in anticipation of being found. When a staff member calls 'who's hiding behind the tree?' they jump out with exhilaration and squeal with delight. Children enjoy walking on balance beams and logs with planks of wood.

They also thoroughly enjoy their time in the digging area. They pick up spades and use their legs and feet to press the spades down into the soil. These superb experiences help children to develop a wide range of physical skills.

Children are thoroughly engrossed in role play in the mud kitchen. They use large utensils to scoop out the mud and transfer this to cooking pots. Children delight in getting their hands messy as they use their full hand grasps to dig out the mud.

Furthermore, they use an outdoor water pump and add water to their cooking pots. Staff support the children effectively as they struggle to press the pump. They reassure the children and say, 'Try a little harder, I know you can do it.'

When they manage to press the pump, staff cheer and children marvel in their achievements.The manager is passionate about her own and her team's professional development. They have recently completed training to learn how to enhance their skills and aid children who have speech and language delays.

Staff have very strong links with other local nurseries and support each other particularly well. They keep up to date with local training events. Staff feel incredibly well supported by the manager and comment that she is always available to help.

The manager conducts regular supervision sessions with staff. She provides necessary training and coaching to ensure that all staff consistently deliver the highest quality of teaching and help to enrich opportunities for children to learn.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff understand how to keep children safe. They have regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date. Staff are competent in knowing how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse.

They know how to report these concerns to external agencies. Staff are also aware of what to do when they have concerns about another staff member's conduct with children. The manager has robust recruitment, induction and supervision procedures in place to make sure that staff are safe to work with children.

Staff regularly risk assess the environment that the children play in. The building is very secure. Doors can only be opened with a key fob worn by staff members.