Alpha Nursery Rainham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thrive in this happy and nurturing environment.

Staff are kind and welcoming to children and spend lots of time playing with them. They quickly form strong and caring bonds. These secure attachments help children to feel safe and confident to explore the many toys and resources.

Children behave well. They respond positively when adults remind them to share toys, or encourage them to use good manners. Children learn good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands regularly and using tissues to wipe their noses.

This supports their growing independence and helps to stop the spread of infection.Childr...en have fun at nursery, and show great enthusiasm for learning. They use resources imaginatively to create props for their role play, such as using a plate as a pretend steering wheel.

Older children are curious and absorbed as they explore the sounds of a drum or gong. They experiment with loud and soft sounds, and create simple rhythms. Younger children listen intently to a story about farm animals.

They enthusiastically call out the sounds that the animals make, and enjoy examining the toy animals provided by staff.

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

Leaders value their partnerships with parents highly. For example, during the COVID-19 epidemic, they maintained regular contact with families to check on their welfare and help support children's learning at home.

Leaders constantly reflect on the quality of the provision and strive to make improvements. They ensure that staff have regular training to improve their professional skills.The provider has introduced new ways to communicate with parents, and include them in their children's learning.

Parents receive daily feedback about their child's care and learning via an online app. They can also take part in online discussions with staff about issues, such as bedtime routines, toilet training and healthy eating. Parents speak highly of the staff and appreciate the support and advice that they provide.

They comment that their children are eager to get to nursery in the morning, and that they learn a lot during their time there.Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. Those who need extra help are well supported.

For instance, staff develop and implement targeted plans for them. They recognise when children may have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and seek advice from outside professionals. Children make good progress and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Staff support children's communication skills very effectively. For example, they talk to children throughout the day, and use lots of repetition to help them learn and remember new words. Staff provide 'visual clues', such as a pictorial timetable to help children to understand nursery routines and boundaries.

Where children are still developing their speech, staff teach them to communicate their needs using objects or gestures. This helps all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, become confident communicators.Children are eager and excited to learn.

They develop a secure understanding of mathematics. They concentrate well as they sort and order numbers, and call out with excitement when they are able to recognise or match them. Children contemplate how to fit shapes together as they complete jigsaw puzzles.

They thoughtfully compare sizes as they stack cups or fit them inside each other.Staff know their individual children well and talk about them with interest and affection. They monitor children's progress and plan experiences to build on what children already know and can do.

Staff, generally, support children's learning effectively during planned activities. However, they do not always make the most of spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning further.Children have good opportunities for active play.

This includes vigorous exercise outdoors each day. For instance, children run confidently, practise climbing and learn to ride tricycles. This helps them to develop strong and healthy bodies.

The nursery provides nutritious meals and snacks for children each day. Staff encourage children to sample a variety of foods. However, some staff do not understand appropriate portion sizes for young children.

They do not listen when children indicate they are full, and urge them to continue eating.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a clear understanding of the nursery's safeguarding procedures, and understand how to identify possible signs and symptoms of child abuse.

Staff know what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare or if there is an allegation made against an adult working with children. The provider ensures that staff receive regular training to update their knowledge of a range of safeguarding issues. This includes risks to children online or from extremist views.

She carries out robust checks when recruiting staff to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. Staff use risk assessments effectively to ensure the premises are suitable for children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure that staff understand appropriate portion sizes for young children, and allow them to regulate their own appetites strengthen staff's understanding of how to extend children's learning during child-led play.