The Rowans Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders and managers have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They have worked hard, together with staff to increase their knowledge of safeguarding and child protection matters and to increase staff understanding of the learning and development requirements. This has improved the overall quality of the provision for children.

Children arrive happy to the nursery and settle in quickly to play with their friends. They form close and warm relationships with staff, who are kind and caring towards them. This helps children to feel safe and secure in the care of staff.

Children are keen to engage in a r...ange of activities that are planned to meet their learning needs. For example, they sit together to discuss examples of positive behaviour during a circle-time activity with staff. They are keen to share what they know.

They say that being polite is saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children take turns to talk and patiently listen to what others say. This helps children to understand the behaviours that are expected of them.

Children have fun as they explore blue and white paint with their hands or use tools to hold pom-poms to make marks on their paper. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who are supported by staff to take part. Activities are adapted to ensure that all children gain these experiences.

Children show positive attitudes and enjoy learning. They gain the skills and knowledge they need to move on to their next stages in learning, and the eventual move on to school.

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

Since the last inspection, the manager has developed a comprehensive curriculum which shows ambition for what children can achieve in their learning.

Staff are confident to use the information gathered from parents at the start and their own assessments of children's learning to help them to decide what each child is ready to learn next.Staff provide a range of adult led activities and experiences that are specifically planned for each child's learning. They actively engage children in play and support them to develop their skills, such as increasing control with the use of one-handed tools, for example paintbrushes or scissors.

However, there are not yet many opportunities for children to practise these skills and explore the resources for themselves, to lead their own play and learning.Children develop increasing independence. For example, babies feed themselves at lunchtime and practise drinking, holding cups for themselves.

Older children become skilled in their use of cutlery and manage these tasks well. Older children are able to take some responsibility for their own belongings. They know where to put away their paintings and where to find their items.

The arrangements for a smooth transition for children in the nursery have improved. Information is shared between key persons and parents to ensure that the care and learning for children is a seamless experience.Speech and language is promoted well.

Staff engage children in lots of opportunities for talking and using their speaking skills. All children enjoy singing together and giggle as they follow the actions. They sit to listen to stories and are keen to share their thoughts and ideas of what might happen next.

Staff regularly hold a 'nursery council' group with pre-school children. They consult with children about what they like at the nursery and what they would like to see more of. Children express that they would like more wheeled toys to use in the garden.

Staff listen and make plans for this. This helps children to feel valued and listened to.Children develop their large physical skills in a variety of ways outdoors.

They ride on a range of wheeled toys and cars with increasing skill. Older children are careful to drive around obstacles and stop to chat with each other. Other children practise balancing on a line of tyres and proudly jump off the end of the line with lots of smiles.

Children are provided with healthy meals and snacks. Allergies and intolerances are considered carefully to ensure that children are provided with food that is safe for them to eat, and contributes to their ongoing good health.Leaders and managers have improved the support for staff to develop their skills and knowledge.

Staff now receive the individualised guidance they need to help raise the quality of teaching. However, these arrangements are still in their infancy and some of the plans have not yet been introduced. Leaders intend to continue to embed these changes to raise the quality of teaching to the highest possible level, so that children make even more progress in their learning.

Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say their children are happy in the setting and are making good progress. Parents say they value the detailed information about their children's care and learning progress they access online or in conversation with staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All managers and staff, including those designated to take the lead for safeguarding now have robust knowledge and are able to identify signs and symptoms that indicate that a child may be at risk of harm. They have a strong knowledge of the local reporting procedures they must follow in the event of concerns about a child's welfare.

This includes where an allegation about the conduct of a colleague is made. Staff know how to escalate their concerns if they are required to do so. Safer recruitment procedures are followed by managers.

This includes the background checks that must be made to ensure that staff are suitable. Routine checks are made on the premises to ensure that it is safe for children to attend.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease the opportunities for children to practise their developing skills while they explore resources and lead their own play and learning continue to embed the arrangements to support staff to raise the quality of teaching to the highest possible level, so that children make even more progress in their learning.