Little Willows Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Willows Day Nursery Little Willows Day Nursery, Powlett Road, BATH BA2 6QH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy and confidently separate from their parents and/or carers. Children form strong attachments with familiar adults, who nurture them and respond to their needs. The youngest children receive cuddles and reassurance, for example, as they wake from their sleep.

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The provision requires improvement

Most children benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that meets their learning needs. However, the provider does not ensure that all staff receive the training, guidance and support required to implement the aims of the curriculum consistently. This is particularly evident in the delivery of the curriculum for older children to help their personal, social and emotional development. On occasion, the environment is not organised well enough and staff interactions are limited to provide children with purposeful learning experiences. This leads to children becoming disinterested and their behaviour deteriorating, such as using the papier mâché hot air balloons as footballs when they are restricted to playing inside. Children are not supported well enough to persevere, for example, to complete a jigsaw and, therefore, they do not consistently demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Young children keenly engage in an activity led by an enthusiastic member of staff who knows their interests well. Children excitedly look for the hidden animals in the garden. They learn new vocabulary and respond well to questions as they recall where they have seen these animals before. Children receive praise and develop high levels of self-esteem. Young children use their imaginations well. For example, they play cooperatively, negotiating roles. They communicate their ideas well, for example to get in the car and drive to the shops. They listen to each other's ideas and decide what to buy at the shops. They respond well to questions, demonstrating good communication and language skills.

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need to do better?

n Although the provider knows what it is they want children to learn, they do not ensure that all children benefit from the same good-quality interactions and teaching. For example, staff do not set clear boundaries when older children play with a foldable mat. This leads to incidents occurring where children do not demonstrate kind behaviours towards each other. Staff do not support children well enough to understand how to share nicely, to self-regulate or to negotiate turn taking. In addition, staff do not always provide children with clear explanations, so that they understand how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, staff do not talk to children about safe ways to climb the slide or the dangers of climbing on furniture. n Older children show interest and curiosity in making a volcano. They make play

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need to do better?

30 April 2025 dough to build the volcano and mix ingredients to create the lava. Children are keen to be involved and respond to questions to recall what they know already. However, children wait a long time while some children finish their snack. Children huddle around a tray and some cannot see and begin to push. Staff spend time moving children and do not help them to solve problems and negotiate space for themselves. n Leaders and managers have high expectations of their staff. There are clear arrangements for staff supervision to raise the quality of their practice, for example 'deep dives' and peer observations. However, due to a struggle to recruit qualified staff, managers are needed in rooms to support ratio requirements, which means they have not had the opportunity to fulfil these arrangements as frequently as they would like. This has contributed to staff not receiving the guidance and support required to enable high-quality teaching and

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need to do better?

learning throughout the nursery. n All children enjoy nutritious meals freshly prepared on site, which parents feedback they appreciate. Staff understand the importance of following allergy and preferences procedures to keep children safe. Staff deploy themselves well to ensure that children are always supervised while they eat. This provides good opportunities to support independence and communication and language skills. For example, staff engage toddlers in songs as they wait for their friends to wash their hands and for meals to be served. Children make decisions, for example which animal is on Old McDonald's farm or the sound the wipers make on the bus. n There are good arrangements to ensure care needs are successfully met. Children receive the support they need as they move on to new rooms. Staff review information with parents and provide them with ongoing feedback about their children's learning and daily routines.

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need to do better?

n There are robust arrangements to ensure staff are suitable for their role. Staff receive appropriate induction to enable them to implement policies and procedures successfully. Staff fulfil their roles and responsibilities, especially to safeguard children, and feel leaders and managers consider their well-being.

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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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Due date

30 April 2025 provide staff with guidance and support to deliver the curriculum to support children's learning and development, particularly their personal, social and emotional development. 30/05/2025

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should:

n help older children to gain the skills to moderate their behaviour and to solve problems independently n review the organisation of some activities to ensure all children are involved in their learning and receive high-quality interactions to develop their skills and understanding of how to keep themselves safe n develop further the arrangements for staff supervisions to support consistency in developing high-quality interactions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY413022 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10393412 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 66 Number of children on roll 80 Name of registered person Little Willows Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01225 332296 Date of previous inspection 9 February 20239 February 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Little Willows Day Nursery registered in 2010. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an early years qualification at level 6, eight hold early years qualifications at level 3 and four at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education places.

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Inspection activities

n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk and they discussed the curriculum intent. n The inspector spoke with parents and children during the inspection, read parent testimonials and considered their views. n The inspector observed staff interactions with children, discussed children's learning and how staff support children to develop their skills. n The manager and inspector conducted a joint observation in the pre-school room. n The inspector conducted professional discussions with the management team. n A sample of documentation was discussed and observed.

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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

30 April 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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