Arbury Day Nursery - Tommies Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Since the last inspection, leaders have worked to improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.

Staff now have a good understanding of what they want children to know and do. However, staff do not always implement the curriculum effectively. Inconsistencies in teaching mean that not all children make as much progress as they could.

Children enjoy the activities and resources on offer. However, staff do not always deliver the curriculum intentions precisely enough to build on children's existing knowledge and skills or to provide sufficient challenge. This impacts on children's learning and development..../>
There is a child-centred approach to planning that is based on each child's unique interests and needs. For example, a key person plans experiments to appeal to one child's love of science. However, leaders do not always deploy staff effectively to enable them to get to know children well enough.

This means that some staff do not have a clear understanding of the needs of the children in their care. Despite the weaknesses in staff deployment and teaching, children are generally happy at the nursery. Staff are kind, caring and nurturing.

Children confidently explore their environment and approach visitors. For example, a baby gives the inspector a builder's hat to wear, and a pre-school child pinches them with their pretend crab claws. This shows that children feel safe and secure at the nursery.

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

The nursery is experiencing staffing challenges. There are new leaders, managers and staff in place, who are assessing the strengths and areas for development. Action plans for improvement have been created.

However, this has not yet had time to be fully embedded and effective. Consequently, not all of the weaknesses identified in the last inspection report have been fully addressed.The quality of teaching is variable.

Developing children's language and communication is a priority for staff. Staff sit at the children's level, and they sing together throughout the day. However, the interactions that staff offer are not of a consistently good standard.

Some staff offer more frequent, high-quality interactions than others. This means not all children receive a good-quality standard of teaching all of the time.Due to challenges in staffing, the key-person system is not yet fully effective.

There are strong practitioners within the rooms, who have a good knowledge and understanding of the individual children. However, as not all staff have the same level of knowledge or understanding it means they do not fully meet children's individual needs. For example, staff fail to prepare and organise mealtimes sufficiently.

The routine for toileting children is chaotic and children wander around while staff collect resources, such as knives and additional chairs. This means children's individual needs are not met effectively as meaningful learning experiences and quality interactions are unable to take place.Children usually behave well.

For example, they respond promptly to requests from staff to line up or go and wash their hands. However, sometimes, ineffective routines and activities impact on how children behave and participate. For example, children bang cutlery on the table at lunchtime, and they leave a movement session when they become bored.

This means that children do not fully benefit from all of the opportunities available to them.Staff encourage children to become increasingly independent. For example, babies are taught to feed themselves, toddlers to dress themselves and pre-school children to pour their own water.

This supports children to be able to manage their own care needs.The environment is clean and well organised. Children are able to access quality resources from easily accessible units.

Staff plan interesting and engaging activities for children across the seven areas of learning. For example, toddlers represent quantities by sticking pipe cleaners in play dough and pre-school children practise their cutting skills using knives, broccoli and celery.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language well.

They work effectively with each other and parents to identify children's needs and put strategies into place to support them. They make timely referrals to outside agencies to access specialist support. This means that children with SEND get the support they need at the earliest opportunity.

Generally, parents speak highly of the nursery. They say that their children enjoy attending and that they are making good progress. The majority of parents say that they are happy with the care their children receive.

Many parents praise staff for the relationships they build with their children. However, some parents report a lack of consistent staff. The vast majority of parents would recommend the nursery to others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure staff receive appropriate training and professional development opportunities to help raise the quality of teaching to consistently good 30/09/2025 ensure the key-person system is effectively embedded to meet all of the children's individual needs 30/09/2025 review the organisation of routines so that they do not adversely impact on the learning opportunities of the children.

30/09/2025