Appleton Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at the setting.

They arrive happily, and staff greet them with warmth and affection. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Babies form strong and trusting bonds with the staff.

Some younger children have their own comfort objects, but these are soon put down as they begin to play and their confidence increases. Older children show high levels of independence as they manage small tasks, such as putting on their aprons or coats, feeding themselves and using the toilet on their own. Children show a good understanding of the routines and readily take part in the range of stimulating activit...ies available.

Children interact very well with staff. Younger children giggle and squeal with excitement, as they play with water and staff show them how to make bubbles. Older children talk confidently about their favourite superheroes.

Staff follow this interest as they set up a painting activity, allowing the children to paint their superhero. Children develop positive attitudes to their learning and respond well to the high expectations of staff. This supports children to behave well.

For instance, children are encouraged to use manners, share and take turns. They receive plenty of praise from staff for their achievements. This helps to raise children's self-esteem and boosts their confidence.

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

Children quickly develop close attachments with the kind and caring staff team. The key-person system is very effective and staff continually help children to feel safe and emotionally secure. During flexible settling-in procedures, which are tailored to the individual needs of each child, staff take time to find out detailed information about the children.

This helps children to settle with ease.Staff have good relationships with the local school. This helps to support children to make a smooth transition when moving on to school.

Staff have recently reviewed their risk assessment around the collection of children from the local schools to ensure they promote their safety.Staff support children to develop a healthy lifestyle. They provide regular outdoor activities for them to develop their physical skills and coordination.

Staff provide healthy food for children to eat, and they encourage children to wash their hands at appropriate times. Children with allergies are very well protected as the staff work closely with parents to check what their children can eat. Staff apply good hygiene practice throughout the nursery.

Children have opportunities to learn about the world beyond their own. For example, they explore festivals in other cultures such as Chinese New Year. The nursery is very inclusive.

This supports children to be exceptionally tolerant and respectful of differences in others. Children behave well.Good attention is given to developing children's mathematical understanding.

As babies build towers with blocks, staff count aloud. Older children are encouraged to count and name shapes as they play. They learn about weight in enjoyable ways.

For example, they use chopsticks to pick up pom-poms and place them on the balancing scales. They confidently talk about what the scales will do if they add one more.Staff consistently help children to extend their language and communication skills.

Those working with babies and toddlers repeat key words, name objects and use descriptive language as they play alongside them. Older children are encouraged to talk about what they are doing, and staff continually ask questions that promote children's thinking and speaking skills.The manager has implemented new and improved processes for staff supervision meetings.

Staff say they feel very supported by the manager. However, the sessions do not focus enough on staff's professional development to help raise the quality of their interactions further.Staff are enthusiastic and enjoy their time with the children.

The manager motivates staff well and, as a team, they share good ideas and expertise. Staff make suggestions for improvements to the nursery. For example, the staff team and parents have recently given up their weekend to decorate the nursery.

This has helped parents to feel more involved in the nursery.Parents' feedback is very positive. Parents state that staff keep them informed about children's well-being and development.

However, staff do not successfully encourage all parents to share ongoing information about children's learning and experiences at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good understanding of their role and responsibility in protecting children from harm.

They fully understand how to recognise signs and symptoms that may cause concern about a child's welfare. Staff are familiar with the procedures to report any concerns and allegations to the relevant authorities. Robust procedures are in place to ensure relevant checks are completed and staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff complete daily risk assessments and carry out continual checks of the premises as children play. This helps to ensure that children are able to play in a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide even more opportunities for parents to share ongoing information about children's learning and development at home develop staff supervision arrangements to raise the quality of education to a consistently high standard.

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