Surestart Whitley Nursery

Inspection of Surestart Whitley Nursery South Reading Youth & Community Centre, 252-260 Northumberland Avenue, Reading, Berkshire RG2 7QA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Leaders have a very good understanding of the needs of children who attend and their families. They implement an effective curriculum based on the skills children need to gain over time. There is a strong focus on promoting children's communication and language, social and physical skills. Staff have a secure understanding of the curriculum learning intentions along with their key children and other children's learning needs. This helps them to meet all children's needs well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Overall, staff's practice and support for children is effective.

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The provision is good

Staff provide interesting activities that engage children securely in learning. For example, babies had fun exploring sensory materials. Staff enhance children's self- chosen play. For instance, toddlers went outside to find leaves to give to their dinosaurs to eat. This helped to build on their imaginative play.

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The provision is good

Staff promote strong relationships between adults and children. Flexible settling-in processes support new children and their parents well. Staff sensitively support new children. They help children to build their confidence very well. Children become friendly and sociable with each other and adults. Staff guide children's behaviour securely from a young age with clear expectations. For example, staff working with babies gently explain about being kind and gentle with others. Pre- school children take part in small group activities, which help to promote positive relationships with others.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have an effective oversight of the provision. They use ongoing reflection to help improve the quality of the nursery. Leaders support staff securely. They review staff's individual practice regularly and promote ongoing professional development. Senior staff provide a good role model to other staff, such as modelling high-quality teaching during interactive story times. These approaches build on staff's skills and knowledge well. Occasionally, staff do not organise themselves as effectively as possible. For example, staff sometimes gather together to agree their responsibilities or do not fully consider what other staff are doing before carrying out a task. At times, this reduces the overall effective support and engagement for children. n Children's SEND needs are known and understood effectively. Staff implement individual education plans to help children progress. They consider how to meet

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need to do better?

children's additional needs effectively. This includes using visual communication cards to help develop children's understanding and providing resources that meet their individual learning needs. Additional funding for children and families is well considered. For instance, staff have created a sensory den to provide a

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need to do better?

13 February 2025 calming area for children. They have organised home learning packs, which include books and craft materials to help parents promote children's learning at home. n Staff promote children's independence well. For example, babies learn to feed themselves and older children serve their own food and use the toilet by themselves. Staff guide children's understanding about how to do things. For example, pre-school children have photographs displayed which show them how to put their coats on. Sometimes, staff do not manage daily routines as well as possible. This leads to some children wandering around or waiting, such as by the door to go outside. At times, this means some children are not engaged well in play and learning. n Staff provide children with plenty of praise and encouragement to support their sense of achievement. They encourage children to keep trying at new skills, such as when toddlers are learning to pedal a bike. Leaders take positive action to

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need to do better?

seek guidance from other professionals, including to help them identify ways to address children's more challenging behaviours. This helps to implement new approaches across the staff team to consistently guide children and promote positive behaviours. n Leaders and staff form strong partnerships and communication with parents and other professionals. These help to meet children's needs consistently. Staff regularly ask parents for information about their children's individual needs. This helps staff to continually build on their knowledge and understanding of children's home experiences and parents' wishes. Parents receive regular feedback, both in person and through an online app. Parents speak very positively about the nursery. They comment that the staff are welcoming and keep them updated. They highlight that their children enjoy attending and benefit from varied learning experiences to promote their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n develop staff's organisational skills to help them to focus more effectively on their engagement and support for children n build on the staff's management of routine changes, to help them further support children's interest in their play and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY563489 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10383035 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 62 Number of children on roll 102 Name of registered person Brighter Futures For Children Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01189373922 Date of previous inspection 13 July 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Surestart Whitley Nursery re-registered in 2018. It is located in the Whitley area of Reading, Berkshire. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. There are 23 staff employed to care for children. Of these 20 hold recognised early years qualifications between level 2 and level 6. The provider offers government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children interacted and chatted to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a small-group activity and evaluated the quality of this. n Parents shared feedback about the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to staff about their work at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector and managers held a meeting together to discuss the leadership and management of the nursery. n A sample of documentation was reviewed as part of the inspection process,

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Inspection activities

including evidence of staff's suitability to work with children.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

13 February 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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