St Luke’s Pre-School Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are welcomed into the nursery by friendly, caring staff. Children have easy access to resources and equipment, which means they can lead their own play and learning. Staff share books with older children.

They encourage children to talk about what is happening in the story. They introduce new words and demonstrate alliteration, such as 'stinky, slimy, scary' monsters. Staff show children how stories are structured and go back to see if they can recall what has happened.

Children have opportunities to develop their early writing skills. They learn to count and to identify shapes and colours. Toddlers enjoy learnin...g nursery rhymes.

They dance and imitate actions modelled by staff. At times, music is left to play continuously. Staff and children raise their voices to make themselves heard, which means that noise levels escalate.

This sometimes inhibits children's ability to listen and concentrate. Children have good relationships with other children and invite them to join their play. For example, they develop their physical skills when they race on scooters and tricycles in the nursery garden.

Children become independent in personal hygiene routines ready for the move to school. They have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day to keep them hydrated. Overall, children behave well.

They begin to understand their emotions and to manage their behaviour.

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

Leaders are ambitious to improve the nursery. They identify some areas for improvement and work closely with the local authority to develop action plans to address these.

Staff feel that their well-being is supported well by leaders. However, leaders do not have effective arrangements in place for ongoing coaching, training, and support to help staff build on their knowledge and skills. Due to recent significant changes in the organisation of the nursery and staffing arrangements, some staff are new to their role.

These staff have not had the training they need to ensure they understand their role and to fulfil their responsibilities. As a result, experiences for children do not ensure they have the best opportunities to progress.Staff know the aims of the curriculum and what children need to learn before they move rooms or go to school.

They are knowledgeable about child development and the progress children should be making. However, staff do not obtain enough information about children's backgrounds, interests, or stage of development when they start in the setting. Consequently, children do not settle quickly or easily and staff do not tailor their care and learning experiences to their individual needs from the outset.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given every opportunity to reach their full potential. Leaders ensure these children are supported by key staff who know them well. Children enjoy small group activities and one-to-one learning that target their individual needs.

For instance, they focus on developing communication skills, learning to share, taking turns, and building relationships with other children. As a result, gaps in learning for children with SEND are narrowing.Staff do not implement effective methods of communication when working with children who speak English as an additional language.

Children struggle to understand everyday routines and cannot always convey their wants and needs successfully. At times, this leads to children being frustrated and unsettled.Staff working with babies provide high-quality learning experiences for children.

Activities capture their interests and promote their curiosity. Staff introduce new words, such as 'sprinkling', to describe flour as it falls onto children's hands. They encourage children to explore with their hands and feet and explain that the flour feels 'soft'.

Staff share books with children. This introduces children to language they might not hear in everyday life. Staff talk to children about foods they might eat at home during role play.

They encourage babies to babble using pretend telephones.Partnerships with parents, overall, are positive. They appreciate the kind, caring staff and the safe environment they provide for children.

Parents receive feedback about children's progress through an online system. Activities parents can do at home to support children's learning are shared through the nursery's social media page.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a suitable understanding of how to safeguard children. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child or an adult. Managers work highly successfully with other agencies to protect children and keep them safe.

Staff supervise children as they play. They teach children to manage risks, such as climbing and balancing using play equipment. Staff make sure the youngest children have their nappies changed regularly and sleep when they need to.

If children have accidents, staff inform parents and share accident records with them.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure staff obtain all the information they need about children who are new to the setting, in particular children's backgrounds, interests, and starting points, so that staff can help children settle quickly and tailor play and learning to their individual needs from the start 19/10/2023 implement effective methods of communication for children who speak English as an additional language, so that children can understand everyday routines, communicate their wants and needs successfully, and make the best possible progress in their learning 19/10/2023 implement effective coaching, support and training for all staff, but particularly those staff who are new to their role, so they have a clear understanding of their role and the skills they need to successfully fulfil their responsibilities.19/10/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider carefully the use of music in rooms, so that the noise levels do not escalate and inhibit children's ability to listen and concentrate.

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