Ark Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Since the last inspection, there has been a significant overhaul of practice. The manager and staff team have been working tirelessly to drive improvement. They have a clear overview of what they want children to learn and why. Staff work consistently to build on what children already know and can do. They use ongoing assessments to target any gaps in children's development and to help them learn new skills. As a result, children are now making good progress in their learning and demonstrate that they feel secure.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff greet all children and their families warmly at the nursery's main entrance. On arrival, most children confidently leave their parents and eagerly seek out enjoyable activities in their nursery rooms. Children who are a little unsettled are quickly provided with cuddles and reassurance by the caring staff. This helps to support their emotional development.

Babies and toddlers enjoy taking part in sensory play as they touch and feel different textures in books and discover a variety of interesting items in sensory baskets. Children enjoy being active and benefit from the well-resourced outdoor areas. They have lots of fun as they carefully navigate climbing up steps to the slide and ride bicycles. This helps them to develop physically and promotes a sense of well-being.

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

• Staff work closely with parents from the outset to find out about children's home life and experiences. Parents speak very positively about their and their children's experiences at nursery. They comment on how effective the staff are at settling their children in when they start attending and how they like the regular communication they receive about their child's development.
• Children behave well. They listen to staff and follow instructions well. Children have good opportunities to form positive relationships with their peers, and develop their social skills well. For instance, they learn to share resources with others during activities and are confident to share their ideas with others in a group.
• The manager has set clear priorities for improvement. For example, staff have regular supervisions and are observed interacting with children. The manager understands the strengths of the team and offers mentoring or training when staff need further support. Staff comment that they feel well supported to carry out their roles.
• Children develop very good attitudes towards their learning. Toddlers demonstrate good concentration as they explore the cornflour. Older children remain engaged as they build a train track. Through trial and error, children learn how to avoid obstacles as they extend the length of the track.
• Staff model language to children well and increase their vocabulary by talking to them during their play. For instance, as children explore the ice, staff introduce new words, such as 'slippery' and 'frosty', to describe the different textures. Staff encourage children to make connections in their learning. For example, staff ask children questions about past experiences that they have participated in as they paint pictures of places they have visited.
• Staff teach children some independent self-care skills. For example, older children tidy up and know how to put on their coats and hats. However, this approach is not consistent. For instance, some staff do some simple tasks for younger children, such as wiping their noses and drying their hands. This does not fully extend children's self-care skills.
• There is very good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager and special educational needs coordinator work closely with key staff and parents to develop support plans and ensure that children's individual needs are met. They consider how additional funding is spent to ensure it makes the intended difference for children. All staff work in close partnership with a range of professionals to support children to reach their full potential.
• Overall, children gain a good understanding of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They benefit from healthy snacks and plenty of fresh air and exercise through regular outdoor play. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to follow good hygiene routines. For example, children are not always reminded to wash their hands before eating.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• encourage children to do even more for themselves during their everyday experiences, to further develop their independence
• strengthen the consistency of hygiene practices to support children's understanding of the links between good hygiene and good health.