Monarchs Childcare Ltd (64)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery confidently, and part from their parents or carers with ease. They are greeted by kind and friendly staff, who chat to them about their journey, what they did at home and how they are feeling today. Children gravitate to their friendship groups. They quickly become engrossed in imaginary games with small-world figures or build towers and models from the construction toys. Children are well behaved and show kindness towards each other. They share the resources well and take turns with favourite toys. Children learn how to regulate their own emotions as staff expertly support them to recognise how they are feeling and formulate strategies to manage their feelings.

Children develop good physical skills as they negotiate the internal stairs within the building. They have opportunities to explore outdoors every day in one of the two garden areas. In the larger garden, children identify birds and insects using the laminated visual prompts displayed on fencing. They watch as sand pours through their hands, taking time to feel the texture. Children learn about balance as staff help them to negotiate walking on old tyres. They chase each other excitedly around the play equipment, giggling and laughing.

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

• Leaders and the senior management team have worked hard since the last inspection to address the identified weaknesses. They carried out a thorough deep clean and renovated the whole building. Risk assessments have been tightened and staff have been trained to identify and address risks more effectively. Procedures for managing children's behaviour have been reviewed. There are effective measures in place to reduce the spread of infection.
• Managers strive to strengthen all staff's interactions with children to a consistently high level to help children to make even better progress. For example, they hold regular supervision meetings, monitor practice and offer training. These systems are beginning to help to build a consistently strong team; however, they are not yet fully embedded.
• The senior management team meets regularly to review all aspects of the nursery and to carry out rigorous audits of daily practices and procedures. This helps to ensure that the effective running of the nursery. The providers, one of whom is also the manager, work alongside the deputies to oversee the staff team. They have effective systems in place to support the staff and place great emphasis on enhancing staff's well-being. Many of the staff have worked at the nursery for a number of years and comment on how much they enjoy working there.
• Parents spoken to at the time of the inspection speak highly of the staff. They feel that their children are very well cared for and like the fact that staff are on hand to speak to them whenever they need to. Parents enjoy using the online system, which they say enables them to be kept well informed of their child's day. They find it a useful platform for giving feedback or sharing comments with the nursery staff and the management team.
• Children who require additional help are well supported. Staff have close links with other professionals, and support parents to access funding and assistance to help children to make the best possible progress.
• Staff generally encourage children to develop good skills in becoming independent. For example, they provide opportunities for children to serve their own meals, pour their own drinks and dress themselves for outdoor play. However, some staff offer to complete tasks for the children before giving them the opportunity to try things for themselves. Some strategies to help children to become independent with regards to toileting are not always used consistently.
• Children enjoy exploring mathematics through a wide range of resources and activities. They count as they build with construction resources and draw recognised shapes, naming them correctly.
• Staff use clear and accurate language when they support children to explore medical themed role-play resources. They build on children's prior knowledge, such as how big their heart is, and encourage them to talk about times when they have visited a doctor.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to recognise when children can do more for themselves and develop the skills needed to become independent
• continue to build on the strategies in place to enhance staff practice further, to promote high-quality and consistently strong teaching.