Our Care Inspectorate Report

We found significant strengths in aspects of the care provided and how these supported positive outcomes for children, therefore we evaluated this key question as very good.

Quality Indicator 1.1: Nurturing care & support
All children experienced warm, caring, nurturing approaches from staff which was supporting children to feel safe and secure. We observed strong positive bonds between children and staff through children engaging staff in their play and approaching staff for comfort or help when required. Parents told us:

‘Appletree is a fabulous nursery, every member of staff makes me, and my child feel welcome and included. The daily learning experience my child receives is excellent – my child’s development has improved greatly from being at Appletree.’

‘The personal approach they have to our child’s care makes us feel like they are at a home from home whilst there. I appreciate their efforts to design activities in the community aligned to my child’s interests and the way that they champion every child for their own successes whilst including their whole families.’

‘Appletree are invaluable to our family. They care for each child individually and provide holistic care. It is very reassuring that you can leave your precious child in safe, loving hands and relax. They provide stimulating and interesting activities and listen to each child.’

Personal plans were in place for all children and information recorded reflected children’s health, welfare and safety needs. This was supported through staff also recording evidence linked to the ‘Getting it right for every child’ (GIRFEC) wellbeing indicators. Information gathered was reviewed and updated regularly and shared with parents. This was supporting staff to have the most up to date information enabling staff to support children’s continuity of care and support any changes in a child’s life. Parents told us:

‘I love the service and my child always loves going into Appletree in the morning they know him/her so well and have a great relationship with them.’

‘Apple Tree is a fantastic nursery! With amazing staff.’

‘Staff respond to the children’s interest using them to plan activities and outings. Making the most of local amenities and using their community links. My child enjoys showing off what she/he already knows to the staff and then learning new skills and knowledge with them. They have done some fantastic fun learning experiences involving the Bute Junior agricultural club. I feel the level of care my child receives is excellent hence why she/he has attended, as a baby, toddler and now staying on for her/his early learning and childcare (ELC).’

Personal care for all children was supported well through sensitive interactions from staff who were approaching children at their level, asking them in a kind and considerate manner if they would like to be changed. This was supporting children’s emotional needs as well as their privacy and dignity.

Mealtimes supported all children to be independent and staff were available to give help and reassurance when needed. Staff within the baby room supported children’s individual routines through ensuring their personal requirements and needs were met. The older children were noticeably confident and independent, and this was a strength in supporting children’s life skills and positive outcomes. Staff and management should continue to monitor the lunchtime experience for the older children in relation to the noise level and consider ways to elevate this. We discussed with management and staff the new ‘Early years choking hazards guidance’ recently published by the food standards agency. We have asked staff to monitor food children are given to ensure it follows the new guidelines.

Children were supported to keep hydrated during their time at nursery through having individual cups or water bottles. These were available to the children when inside or outside playing. 

Sleep routines were being followed for all children who required it, which was respecting individual needs and promoted good habits. Children slept in sleeping pods or small beds and were monitored and supported sensitively from staff. A parent told us: 

‘I love that anytime I pick up or drop off there are children all cosied up and snoozing away in their little pods and the other children are happily still playing.’ 

Policies and procedures were in place to support staff to safely administer any required medication. The service was in the process of reviewing and updating medication templates in line with best practice guidance ‘Management of medication in daycare and childminding settings.’  Staff worked collaboratively with professionals, children, and their families to ensure children requiring additional support had their individual needs met. Information was used consistently and effectively to support positive outcomes for children. 

Quality Indicator 1.3: Play & Learning

Children were happy confident, engaged and having fun through staff delivering and actively involving children in leading their play and learning through a balance of spontaneous and planned high quality experiences. Children were at the heart of the decisions made about play and learning through staff giving children creative approaches and experiences that enriched their imagination, developed their curiosity and creativity while engaging children’s imagination. Parents told us:

‘We love the child led learning and the opportunities they have provided to encourage personal interests of our child. The staff are professional and very caring, we feel they know our child incredibly well as an individual. They value and prioritise outdoor learning and learning in the community with beautiful connections and regular engagement. They celebrate our island and our people. Communication has always been clear and informative. The staff all work together well and support each other. They share staff achievements and training they have taken part in.’

‘Inclusive, mix of outdoor learning and inside learning. Passionate about developing child’s interests in learning.’

‘Facilities available, friendly staff and variety of activities, with focus on being outdoors.’

Outdoor play and learning for all children was a key strength for the service. Staff had created environments that were child centred and based on children’s interests and life experiences. Planning was responsive to children’s interest through staff responding and planning in a meaningful and engaging way. Children’s experiences, opportunities for play and learning were further enhanced through links with home and wider communities. We observed confident children shaping and designing their own play and learning using their imaginations and experimenting. Language, literacy, and numeracy was embedded through experiences and staff were appropriately challenging and questioning children to extend their thinking and learning further. This was enhancing children’s skills supporting them to make progress in their learning and development. 

Staff had a particularly good understanding of child development and relevant theory. Staff were using this knowledge and understanding to carry out meaningful observations, effective assessments and clear progression pathways that reflected children’s progress and achievements. Staff documented these observations, children’s next steps and achievements on each child’s individual online learning log which was shared with parents. We discussed ways the service could involve children further in having ownership and enjoyment enabling children to reflect on their achievements and learning while capturing the child’s voice through introducing individual learning booklets. Parents told us:

‘I like how friendly and welcoming everyone is when we come in in the morning. My child has made great bond with their new key worker now he/she has moved into the toddler room. Apple Tree offer great learning experiences for all the children, and always thinking of new ideas. I like the online log and the communication I have between myself and the staff about what is happening at Apple Tree and knowing what my child is doing throughout the day when pictures are added.’

‘I honestly could not think of a better place for my child, just seeing his/her face light up in morning getting his/her apple tree uniform on is enough for me to know she/he feels safe happy. When we go into nursery, and she /he sees their key worker that next level love is there. Her/his key worker always makes sure to smile and greet her/him and their sibling at drop offs. They talk about when he/she was there and how he/she is now, my child loves waterplay and dancing and when I told their key worker this, she did observation and learning journey on these. Seeing the photos made my day and I liked that she had listened to what I had said my child was into and she developed play and learning on that.’