Willow Tree Day Nursery Biddulph

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy to this calm and welcoming nursery. They establish strong relationships with staff and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in their care. Staff recognise that since the COVID-19 pandemic, some children need more support when they start nursery.

Staff adapt settling-in sessions to suit the needs of children, helping them to settle quickly. Staff get to know children well and work closely with their parents to ensure that children's individual needs are met. They provide a range of activities that reflect children's interests.

Children show a positive attitude towards their learning. All chil...dren, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have good experiences at this friendly nursery. Children of all ages enjoy being outside.

They gain good physical skills in the large outside area. They practise balancing and experiment with different ways of moving and stretching. For example, children use steps to access slides and use their feet to scoot along on wheeled vehicles.

Staff allow the children to take developmentally appropriate risks to extend their learning, for example when learning to balance to get across the obstacle trail. Children behave well, play cooperatively and are learning to share.

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

Staff use their good knowledge of children's individual needs to plan a balanced and well-sequenced curriculum.

They carefully consider what they want children to learn over time. Staff carry out observations and assessments on children. This enables them to identify any gaps in children's development and act accordingly.

They provide a balance of focused learning and playing that meets children's needs.Children learn about where they live and about other cultures. They go on walks in the local area and visit farms.

Staff teach children how to use tools safely. They carefully show children how to cut up their fruit at snack time. Children make meaningful marks with brushes and pencils to represent letters as they build the early skills needed to read and write.

Children are prepared for their next stage of learning.Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They teach children new words and model how to blend letter sounds together.

However, the manager does not ensure that all staff have appropriate knowledge and understanding of how to consistently use mathematical language to fully promote children's early skills in mathematics.Mealtimes across the provision are positive, enjoyable experiences for children. Babies are supported in feeding themselves, with staff on hand to support and encourage where needed.

Children wash their hands and sing songs as they wait patiently. They develop their independence by self-serving their lunch and pouring their own drinks. Staff teach children about healthy foods as they discuss what vegetables they have for their lunch.

Children of all ages develop a love of books. Staff help bring the books to life by reading with enthusiasm and questioning children about what happens next. This supports children's early literacy skills.

Staff teach children about emotions and feelings. They read familiar stories to help children understand how others might feel.Parents are very positive about the quality of the care and education provided by the nursery.

They comment on the progress they can see their children making, particularly in their independence and self-confidence. Parents also receive daily information through an electronic app and they are encouraged to use this to share their child's achievements at home. Parents feel that staff know their children well and are confident that they are happy and safe.

The manager carries out supervisions with staff and checks in on their well-being regularly. Staff state that they feel supported by the manager and others around them. However, coaching and mentoring does not focus enough on what staff need to do to improve the quality of their teaching, particularly for less-experienced staff.

For example, staff do not always provide further challenge in children's learning to help them achieve the very best.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have good awareness of the signs and symptoms of different types of abuse that children can be subjected to.

They know who to report concerns to about staff or children, and the importance of doing this swiftly. Staff refresh their safeguarding knowledge on a regular basis by taking part in training sessions. This allows staff to protect children from potential harm.

The manager is aware of her responsibilities as designated safeguarding lead. She follows safer recruitment procedures, carrying out relevant checks on staff to ensure their suitability to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help all staff to develop a better understanding of how to support children's mathematical language and skills strengthen staff's professional development to enhance their knowledge and teaching skills even further, to ensure all children are challenged in their learning.