345@Hurlingham Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this welcoming nursery. Staff know children extremely well and show delight when discussing their key children. Children demonstrate the same enthusiasm as they arrive happily and excited to start their day. They become fully engrossed and thoroughly enjoy their games. Children show very positive attitudes to learning. During a music activity, children listen intently to adults and respond eagerly to staff instructions to adjust the pitch of their voices and move their bodies in different ways.

Children behave exceptionally well and are proud of carrying out routine activities, such as tidying up. For example, they independently clean tables and put toys away without prompting. They work in collaboration and offer help to those who are struggling with heavy items. They tell each other, 'This task needs two people, let me help you.' Staff provide meaningful praise, which builds children's self-esteem and reinforces positive behaviour. In addition, children develop excellent self-help skills and independence. They prepare their own snack, carefully cutting up fruit and vegetables.

The manager and her team have very high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use the curriculum and children's interests to plan enticing activities, which engage the children and extend their knowledge.

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

• Leadership and management are highly effective. The dedicated staff feel well supported. They receive regular supervision sessions, peer-on-peer observations, and training. This contributes to creating a very capable team.
• Staff are extremely knowledgeable about the children, their next steps in learning, and background. They find out what children can already do before they start attending, and work extremely closely with parents to ensure that each child makes the best possible progress. Parents receive regular, detailed information on their children's progress through reports, meetings and via apps.
• Parents are highly complimentary of the care provided to their children and of the progress they make. They describe the staff as 'inspirational', 'creative' and 'caring'. They also comment on the great communication and say that they feel lucky to be a part of this exceptional nursery. Staff encourage parents to share their expertise. Parents come to the nursery to read stories to children or share cultural festivals and traditions.
• Children learn to become the respectful adults of tomorrow. For example, staff have set up a 'beauty salon' that is equipped with hairdressing resources, including pictures showing different cultural hair types and styles. In addition,
• Inspection report: 345@Hurlingham Nursery School 28 February 2024 2 children are involved in the planning of the environment. They engage in discussions and learn about democracy as they vote for how they would like to organise the role-play areas.
• The bespoke curriculum is well embedded, and there is a sequenced approach to learning. Staff provide children with enriching experiences. For example, children learn about different 'persons of interest'. This includes people who made history in a variety of disciplines, such as the artist Frida Khalo. Children confidently recall their learning and comment, 'She was an artist from Mexico and she was very poorly because of a car accident.'
• Children have excellent opportunities to learn about expected behaviour and how to regulate themselves. For example, all staff wear lanyards with cards showing the nursery principles, and they use these with children to help them to understand what is right or wrong and why. There is also an 'emotions board', where children can go to identify how they are feeling and talk about it.
• Staff involve children in back-and-forth conversations, ask questions, and patiently wait for them to respond. Children are extremely good communicators. They are eager to share their thoughts and ideas with staff and visitors. All staff model an extensive range of vocabulary and children consistently hear and practise new words. For example, they delight in explaining how the self-sustainable fish tank works.
• The large outdoor environment is breath-taking. Children make choices to play inside or outside, and have access to a superb range of outdoor resources. They have ample opportunities to run around in large spaces, climb, and eagerly explore the natural areas. This contributes to children being active, which enhances their physical development.