Hillside House Nursery

Inclusion: Needs attention

There are some weaknesses in the deployment of staff. At times, this results in children having to wait for familiar staff to be available to meet their individual needs. In all other respects, leaders have made solid progress since the previous inspection in meeting the needs of all children. They have worked hard to improve staff's understanding of how to identify and assess the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those where there are barriers to learning. Leaders and staff work in close partnership with parents and other professionals to secure essential funding and support. They observe children closely so that they can identify individual needs and potential gaps in progress.

Leaders understand how to use additional funding to provide targeted support and resources for disadvantaged children. They consider what is in the best interests of all children. There are plans to provide staff with sharply focused professional learning to broaden their understanding even more. Leaders maintain robust systems to monitor the progress of all vulnerable groups. They quickly follow up on any absence and recognise the importance of regular attendance.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

The curriculum to support children's consistent progress across all areas of learning is not embedded well enough. Some younger children do not yet benefit from a consistent, motivating, sequenced curriculum. In some rooms, staff deployment and activity planning are less effective. Teaching does not always accurately reflect children's individual developmental stages. Staff do not always consistently use their knowledge of what children already know and can do to plan opportunities for them to build on their skills. To improve, leaders must ensure that the high-quality teaching observed in other areas is securely embedded across the entire setting.

Leaders demonstrate a passionate commitment to improve the curriculum for all children, including those where there are barriers to learning. They have successfully designed a broad framework that focuses on learning through play. There is a focus on providing opportunities to cover all areas of learning. Some children's experiences are of higher quality. For these children, progress and development are monitored through ongoing observations and regular assessments. Staff notice what children enjoy doing and provide activities to interest them. In some rooms, staff thoughtfully provide children with purposeful, interesting invitations to explore and investigate. Children enjoy outdoor learning in the extensive gardens. This helps promote their physical development and their wellbeing.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children's achievement is inconsistent across the nursery, particularly the achievement of younger children. While children are offered opportunities to explore and investigate, they are not always engaged and become bored and uninterested. This means that progress is limited. Babies enjoy secure attachments with their key person. They seek them out for reassurance as they crawl from activity to activity. They snuggle in while looking at a favourite story. However, listening skills are sometimes hindered because background music is constantly playing.

Older children make better progress because they enjoy a wide range of interesting, motivating and exciting play experiences to support all areas of learning. They use mathematical language as they build complex structures. They work together to solve a problem of what might happen if they remove a brick from a tower. They count the blocks as they place them one on top of another, noticing as it gets taller. They investigate the objects that have been carefully hidden in the sand and delight when they discover them.

Children generally enjoy the range of experiences on offer to them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted support and funding.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

The provision for the toddler age group requires sharply focused improvements to reach the more consistent standards seen elsewhere. Routines like nappy changing and mealtimes are not always well managed, leading to children becoming bored or unsettled while waiting. Staff are often too busy with menial tasks rather than supporting children in their learning. Furthermore, activity planning for this age group does not always focus sharply enough on what children already know, which limits their engagement and progress.

Leaders are determined in their vision for improving the nursery. They have made some progress in this by reorganising staffing and routines to create a more consistent transition for children. This leadership and passion for improvement has successfully established a positive environment where children, particularly in pre-school, behave very well. Older children learn to collaborate, take turns and solve problems together with purpose and determination. Positive relationships are a clear strength. Babies are inquisitive and benefit from the support of their caring key person. Older children are independent learners with highly positive attitudes to learning. Attendance and punctuality are promoted well, and children enjoy coming to nursery.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Care routines are not always managed well enough to nurture and support children, particularly in the toddler room. Staff deployment and the organisation of routines, such as nappy changing and lunchtime, are less effective than in other areas. This means that some children wait for extended periods and become unsettled. Leaders fully understand the importance of supervising children appropriately while they eat, and of cutting up food. They have created policies outlining their expectations but these are not fully understood and implemented by all staff. When leaders are observing mealtimes, they are prompt to offer reminders and guidance. Leaders recognise the need to provide more support to ensure that practices are fully consistent.

Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to children's welfare. They foster a culture where staff are focused on ensuring children are happy, settled and well cared for. Children's health and physical development is prioritised. For example, children enjoy a healthy, balanced menu and extensive outdoor provision. Older children talk about healthy foods as they serve themselves at lunch. They learn how to wash their hands because staff teach them how to do this well. Younger children notice their heartbeats after they run around outside. The inclusive approach is effective in accommodating any individual needs. Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to implement targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities so they feel included and valued.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

There are a number of areas for improvement in relation to the quality of teaching and interactions and in how staff are deployed to best suit children's needs. Since the previous inspection, strategic leadership has significantly strengthened. Newly appointed leaders have established a clear vision for improvement, focused on raising teaching standards and stabilising the staff team. Governance and oversight are more robust and leaders recognise they are on a journey of improvement. Professional learning is now a priority. Staff are beginning to benefit from frequent online training, coaching and modelling that is closely linked to their needs and interests and the quality of the provision for children.

Staff wellbeing is closely monitored through regular team meetings and an open-door policy. Staff say they feel well supported by leaders. To manage workload, leaders have introduced systems, such as preparing activities the night before to ensure smoother daily routines. Parent partnerships are becoming stronger following a period of change. Leaders and staff communicate with parents on a daily basis and through more formal opportunities, such as parents' evenings and a recently implemented parent representative process. This means that parents, leaders and staff engage in open and honest discussions about the children's nursery experience.