4+ Nursery Class

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in the care of the attentive staff team. They benefit from staff who know them well and provide good levels of support for their learning and development. Staff are positive role models for children. They support children to take turns, play with their friends and to develop good manners. These skills will support children to move on to the next stage in their education.

Staff help children to recognise their feelings and emotions. When children occasionally struggle to regulate their behaviour, staff step in swiftly to offer support and cuddles. Children show they feel safe in the staff's care. They snuggle in when sharing stories, for example, and seek staff out for reassurance. Their emotional well-being is supported very effectively.

Children are confident to play and learn. They clearly enjoy their time in the setting, laughing as they play. Children remind each other of the setting boundaries, such as not to bring the bikes indoors. They take pride in all they do, beaming with delight when stacking towers or racing their bikes down the ramp. Staff provide good support for children to explore freely indoors and outdoors. Children benefit from many opportunities to play and learn.

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

• The manager has a secure understanding of the skills she would like children to learn during their time at the setting. The curriculum is focused on what children need to succeed. For instance, there is a strong emphasis on supporting children to become confident communicators. Staff have attended additional training to support their understanding of how children develop their speech skills. This has had a positive impact on the confidence of staff to provide children with good levels of support.
• Children benefit from staff who plan activities that build on what children already know and can do. Staff understand how children learn and use this knowledge to motivate children to develop their skills. For instance, staff plan an engaging activity to cut cooked spaghetti. This is carefully designed to help all children achieve. Staff extend the learning for the most able children to cutting paper. They help children's physical development effectively.
• Staff offer children plenty of time and space to be physically active. Children enjoy climbing and balancing, for instance, in the forest area. Staff add in teaching for children as they play. Children learn if they are climbing 'up high' or 'down low', and whether they are standing on 'big' or 'small' shapes. This supports them to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts.
• Staff are positive role models for children, showing them how to succeed in their self-chosen activities. For instance, staff demonstrate to children how to squeeze
• Inspection report: 4+ Nursery Class 6 February 2024 2 juice from lemons. Children are interested and motivated to learn. Staff comment on what children are doing and offer them clear and simple explanations to help develop their understanding.
• At times, staff organise group activities for children. For instance, they lead children in singing and story sessions to support their developing speech and attention. However, these are not fully effective in supporting all children's individual learning needs. Younger children, for example, wander off and play during group times. They become a distraction for older children.
• Staff promote children's good health. For instance, children learn about brushing their teeth in stories and then through a hands-on activity to brush model teeth. Staff help children to learn about the importance of washing their hands before they eat, and of making healthy choices for meals and snacks. Staff sit and eat with children, providing them with positive role models for social skills and good manners.
• Staff do not always recognise opportunities that arise to promote children's independence. They are sometimes too prompt to step in and complete tasks for children before encouraging them to try for themselves. This does not fully support children to become independent in their personal care skills.
• The settled team of staff feel supported by their manager. They work together effectively and efficiently to provide good levels of care for children. Staff deploy themselves well to support children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve adult-led group activities so that children remain engaged in their learning
• support staff to recognise and make better use of opportunities to help children develop their independence skills.
• Inspection report: 4+ Nursery Class 6 February 2024 3