Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

There is a real sense of family at this home-from-home nursery. The ethos for children to develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence is seen across the setting, as children enter the nursery happily and settle quickly.

They confidently talk to staff and share their experiences with others. Staff have high expectations of children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps all children to make progress and be ready for the next educational stage.

Children are kind to each other and follow the rules in place. Children are well behaved and listen to reminders from staf...f about waiting their turn and sharing resources. They show good levels of concentration and are familiar with well-established routines.

For example, they line up patiently as they wait to go outside. In the garden, children participate in various physical activities to support their developing muscles and coordination skills. They climb, run and jump and respond well to staff's expectations as they remind them to take care and share.

Staff provide children with opportunities to make marks using different tools, which helps to strengthen the muscles in their hands that are needed for later writing skills. Displayed examples of children's work show how children are able to write their own names.

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

The manager and staff have worked hard since the previous inspection to create and implement effective strategies to communicate with other professionals working with children and families.

Required assessments are now fully in place to ensure that any gaps in children's development are swiftly identified and support is put in place.Parents tell staff what children already know and can do when they start at the nursery. Regular assessments shared via an online app have developed continuous communication.

In addition, parents receive guidance on supporting children's learning at home and comment they enjoy receiving photos and feedback. There are strong partnerships with parents. Staff communicate with them effectively.

Parents are highly complimentary about the nursery. They comment positively about the staff and the progress their children have made since starting, such as in their language and social skills. Parents praise the manager for her compassion and commitment to their children's and their families' individual needs.

Children enjoy books, song time and planned activities, which inspire them and reflect their interests. Staff regularly join children at their self-chosen play and activities and engage them in discussions and conversations. However, sometimes, staff's interactions do not fully consider children's needs to think and respond with their own ideas and thoughts.

Nevertheless, staff provide positive encouragement to help motivate children's learning. This helps to promote children's enthusiasm for taking part in play and activities.The nursery chef provides children with healthy, freshly cooked meals and snacks.

Children learn good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before eating. They are encouraged from a young age to feed themselves with cutlery, helping to promote their independence. Children peel bananas and oranges and learn about how fruits grow from seeds as they scoop them out of watermelons.

They then discuss how they will need water and sunlight to grow.Children and staff come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, which is recognised and valued within the setting. For instance, they learn about a wide variety of festivals and religious events throughout the year.

This helps children to learn about their similarities and differences in enjoyable ways. Older children go on outings, such as to the local library, and younger children learn about different cultural foods.Staff are good role models and encourage children to be thoughtful and kind.

Children are delighted to take on the role of helper and take responsibility for small tasks, such as handing out plates at lunchtime. When children struggle with their emotions, staff are quick to offer guidance and support. They make sure strategies are in place to help children calm down and begin to manage their feelings and behaviour in the newly developed self-regulation tent.

The manager has good systems to support staff's professional development. She looks to support any areas for further development with focused training. However, identified training is not always secured and some training is not always fully completed.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nuse opportunities to support and encourage children to express and have time to respond with their own views and suggestions during planned activities nextend professional development opportunities to raise the quality of education to an even higher level.

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