Noah's Ark Nursery (Redditch) Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter this pre-school happily, and staff greet them warmly as they arrive. They communicate with adults confidently and form secure attachments with the attentive staff. Children are aware of pre-school routines and what is expected of them. They learn about being healthy. For example, at snack time, they enjoy chatting with their friends, drinking water and trying different foods. Children play outdoors in the fresh air, and they enjoy being physically active. For example, they navigate their way along wooden tracks and learn to balance and stretch as they move carefully across stepping stones.

Children make good progress and are confident, curious learners. Staff plan learning experiences that build on children's interests, such as building cars with nuts and bolts and painting colourful rainbows. Staff plan a range of learning opportunities to broaden children's skills and knowledge. For example, children are motivated and engaged as they use stones and sticks in the mud kitchen to create 'puddings' and explore different-shaped objects as they try to roll them down large pipes.

Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. They adopt different strategies to help children learn English as well as opportunities to use their home languages. Staff also work with other professionals to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they access support services, such as speech and language therapy, and devise ways to help children keep up with their peers.

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

• The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of the appointment of two new directors to the company. This is an offence. However, there is no impact on the care or safety of the children. The new directors do not come into the provision and are not involved in management decisions about the pre-school. Although the provider has completed robust suitability checks on the individuals to assess their suitability, these checks are the responsibility of Ofsted.
• Managers ensure that staff have regular access to training. This helps staff to strengthen their knowledge and build on the skills they need to support children in their learning and development. Managers talk confidently about their curriculum. They and their staff have a common vision about what they want children to know and learn. A well-sequenced curriculum is in place, and staff plan learning opportunities that take account of children's next steps and that aim to challenge children and reinforce prior learning. Children make good progress, as they are engaged and focused on their learning.
• Children's communication and language skills are promoted. Staff talk to children about what they are doing, model language and share new vocabulary in varied contexts. Children enjoy singing new songs and repeating familiar rhymes. They also develop a love of books and enjoy borrowing favourite stories to take home to share with their families.
• Children particularly enjoy using the outdoor environment. They follow their interests and are curious as they explore and play. Children practise and develop their thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, they use varied resources freely to test their ideas and make links in learning. However, while inside, activities tend to be more pre-planned, focused and adult-led. This means that sometimes children miss out on opportunities to build on experiences of their own choosing and extend their learning.
• Children learn how to promote their health and well-being. This includes the importance of handwashing and eating well. During snack time, staff highlight to children that apples are good for them and help them to grow. Children are becoming more aware of their own care needs. However, at times, staff step in too quickly and do not enable children to have a go or persevere with tasks. Consequently, staff are not making the most of opportunities to help children increase their independence.
• Children behave well. They listen and respond positively to adults, look after toys and resources, play happily with their friends, share and take turns. These skills help to prepare children for the next stage in their learning and eventual move on to school.
• Parents say that staff keep them informed about their children's learning and progress. They appreciate that additional activities are provided for them to support children's learning at home. Parents also feel that the staff teach children important social skills in readiness for their future experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

• implement procedures to ensure new directors provide required information to Ofsted and enable suitability checks to be completed. (by 21 December 2022)

The provider should:

• enhance opportunities for children to access experiences, to help them make choices and build on their own learning
• help children to be increasingly independent in managing their own personal needs.