Summerfields Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children of all ages make good progress in their learning and development.

They spend their day chatting, playing happily and eagerly exploring the vast array of activities on offer. Children develop good concentration as they independently solve puzzles. They also learn to work with others.

For example, they work together to construct complex pathways to drive their toy cars across. Children benefit from the skilful interactions of staff. They listen with interest as staff describe what is happening during activities and introduce new vocabulary.

For example, as children cut fruit for their 'potions', they le...arn words such as 'sour'. They follow staff's guidance as they carefully and safely cut by moving their knife 'back and forth'. In addition to these well-planned and challenging activities, children gain much of their learning through self-discovery.

Activities such as water play enable children to build on the skills they have learned. They confidently fill containers and learn about gravity and capacity as they pour water through an elaborate system of funnels and pipes. Children form very positive relationships with staff and approach them readily for attention or support.

Overall, children behave extremely well. They learn to share and take turns. They are generally kind and considerate towards others, and staff are effective at helping children to manage their emotions.

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

The leadership of the setting is strong. The manager recognises the skills and expertise of her staff and values their ideas. All staff, including students on placement, receive good support and mentoring.

Staff are highly motivated. They work very effectively together. This creates a very positive and efficient environment for children to play and learn.

The manager and staff give good consideration to the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's personal and social development. They are alert to the needs of each child, particularly younger children who have limited experience of mixing with others. Staff promote children's emotional well-being effectively.

They quickly spot when a child is becoming distressed or overwhelmed and provide attention and reassurance.Overall, teaching is strong. Key-person arrangements are effective and staff know all children well.

They work together to successfully plan activities that build on children's interests and capture their imaginations. All staff understand the learning intentions planned for each activity and deliver these very effectively. However, the organisation of some activities is not considered as well as possible.

For example, staff are largely successful in including all children effectively in a music-and-movement session. However, the activity is a little too challenging for some of the younger children. In addition, there are so many exciting opportunities outdoors that staff are not always able to extend the ideas for all children.

Parents' feedback about the service they receive and the progress that their children make is extremely positive. They greatly appreciate the help they receive from staff, such as with funding applications. Staff also work very effectively with parents to support children who are potty training.

Staff speak to each parent as they drop off and collect their child. Although a lot of useful information is shared at these times, this generally relates to the activities that children have enjoyed and their general well-being. There are arrangements to share specific information about the progress children are making.

However, these are working more effectively for some parents than others.There is a strong focus on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager is highly committed to ensuring that any potential concerns about a child's development are identified at the earliest opportunity.

She works well with other professionals to help children to reach their full potential. For example, she carefully manages the transitions to school for individual children and shares very specific and relevant information with teaching staff.The manager has assembled an impressive assortment of toys and resources indoors and outdoors.

These significantly enhance children's enjoyment and development. She makes good use of funding to purchase resources that reflect individual children's interests and learning needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and deputy take lead responsibility for safeguarding. They understand the responsibilities of their role and ensure that all staff have a secure knowledge of the potential signs of child abuse. This includes the potential risks posed by exposure to extreme views and behaviours.

There are secure procedures to report any concerns about children's welfare and to respond to allegations against staff. Recruitment arrangements are robust and the manager monitors the ongoing suitability of staff.

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 more fully consider group sizes and the supervision needed to follow each child's interests when planning activities strengthen further the arrangements to share information with parents to focus more precisely on the progress their children are making and the next steps for their learning.