Caterpillar Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have not notified Ofsted of changes to one of their company directors. This means that the relevant suitability checks cannot be made. However, this breach of the requirements has no impact on children because the director has no contact or involvement with them.

Staff create an enriching environment for children to learn and build friendships. They take the time to understand each child deeply, enabling them to personalise activities based on the children's interests and educational needs. The extensive outdoor area provides a wealth of learning opportunities, allowing children to explore and develop. Specifically, the digging area stimulates children's creativity and imagination, fostering curiosity and exploration.

Staff have a clear expectation of the children's behaviour. They communicate rules and explain routines clearly and consistently, so children behave well. Staff use simple chants to reinforce their key messages, while explaining why rules are in place and how they help to keep children safe. Staff and children show respect and care towards each other. For example, when outside, children recognise a change in the weather. They encourage their friends to put on additional clothes so they are not cold.

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

• Leaders demonstrate a strong vision for the setting and actively support staff to enhance their knowledge and early years practice through effective supervision. They have a good understanding of safe recruitment processes and the necessity for ongoing suitability checks for staff working directly with children. However, systems to ensure that Ofsted is informed of changes to directors are not robust enough.
• Staff actively create opportunities for children to develop their communication and language skills. By incorporating various communication tools, such as Makaton and Widget symbols, they provide essential support to enhance children's understanding. Every interaction, such as making play dough, becomes an opportunity to expand the children's language, allowing them to express themselves more confidently.
• Staff deliver a curriculum that supports children to make progress from their individual starting points. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent support from caring, knowledgeable staff who work with integrity to ensure that every child receives the necessary support.
• Staff acknowledge children's achievements by documenting them in learning stories that children can revisit. There are efficient systems in place to ensure accurate assessments. Staff dedicate a focus week to each child, during which they observe and encourage new learning opportunities. These focus weeks help staff to pay close attention to the children's needs and enhance their relationships with parents during regular feedback sessions.
• Staff understand the importance of partnership working and they collaborate with multiple agencies to contribute to the care and education of children. They maintain effective communication with parents, ensuring that they are kept informed about their children's progress. Additionally, staff actively promote opportunities for children to continue their learning at home. They provide parents with tailored support and guidance to help them address children's individual learning needs.
• Group activities are not always organised well enough to ensure that younger children are able to participate fully and gain the most from the learning experience. For example, during circle time, staff greet children individually and spend time asking them to choose their lunch. This activity takes a long time and the younger children lose interest and disengage.
• Staff provide many opportunities for children to become independent. They actively help children to gain confidence in using the toilet and enable them to access the resources they need to complete tasks or enhance their play. Staff ensure that children have access to healthy snacks and fresh drinking water. Overall, staff promote good hand hygiene practices. However, occasionally this is inconsistent, which results in situations where children are unable to clean their hands before eating snacks when they are outdoors.
• Staff work closely with the school. Children join the whole school to practise fire evacuation procedures. Staff reassure children and praise their behaviour. Children also have lunch in the school dining hall. This provides an opportunity for them to experience the school environment and develop their awareness of lunchtime routines.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

• ensure that Ofsted is informed of any changes to directors to ensure all relevant checks are completed in a timely way. (by 2 September 2024)

The provider should:

• help staff to recognise how to further support younger children to benefit more from focused teaching, especially in whole-group situations
• reflect on the arrangements for promoting good hand hygiene to ensure consistency in practice, particularly when accessing snacks outdoors.