Abacus Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate through their interactions with staff that they feel happy and secure. Older children excitedly arrive at the nursery, independently hang up their belongings ready to explore and seek their friends. Younger children who are settling take comfort in staff, who warmly offer reassurance.

Children of all ages enjoy actively exploring the different areas of the nursery and independently access activities. For example, younger children access the reading area and select books that interest them, which staff read to them. Children are developing a love of reading as staff read stories with animated voices to capture their imagination. Staff provide children with a range of opportunities to be physically active. Children develop their gross motor skills as they climb over climbing equipment, learning to manage their own risks safely.

Children behave well. Staff set good expectations for children's behaviour and adapt their support according to the ages of the children. Older children learn to be patient and regulate their behaviour as they readily wait for their turn to create their volcanic eruption during a science activity. Staff are positive role models. They speak calmly and politely as they support younger children in turn taking. This helps children learn how to interact with others and develop excellent social skills from an early age.

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

• Overall, the quality of teaching is good. The manager is ambitious in developing the curriculum. Staff design activities based on the needs and interests of the children to ensure each child makes progress. Managers make good use of observations and tracking to monitor the progress of all children, sharing this information with parents through the use of an app.
• Staff interact with children well, overall. They use opportunities to extend children's communication and understanding of words. In the baby room, staff use eye contact and warm facial expressions as they speak to babies while helping to dress them. Occasionally, not all staff use these opportunities consistently to develop children's communication skills.
• Children are supported well, overall, to develop their growing vocabulary. During a yoga and mindfulness session, staff use language such as 'emotions' and 'bridges' as they encourage children to repeat this new vocabulary through actions. This supports children to develop their language skills.
• Leaders support new staff through an induction process, which includes mentoring with those with more experience. They ensure all staff have regular opportunities for training. However, at times, the more experienced staff do not consistently help others to develop a deeper knowledge and extend their knowledge and skills.
• Children immerse themselves in creative play. For example, toddlers can be found exploring a range of messy play activities. They actively explore sensory play opportunities as they use their whole bodies to feel the jelly. They watch with excitement as the jelly wobbles, laughing and moving their bodies in delight. This helps children to learn more about their senses and to explore freely.
• Children have opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding. For example, staff count with younger children as they transfer sand and use tools to create patterns in the sand. Older children readily use mathematical language in their play as they count the colours in a rainbow drawing with friends.
• There is good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders make effective use of the services available to help families in order to ensure children thrive and succeed.
• Staff positively comfort children if they become upset. They speak calmly in the child's home language to comfort them. This allows children who speak English as an additional language to build their confidence and develop a sense of belonging.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents discuss the progress their children have made in their development since starting at the nursery. They describe the support their children have received and praise staff for their nurturing approach.
• Leaders have robust recruitment procedures in place. They demonstrate a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They use supervision sessions and staff meetings to ensure all staff understand their duty to keep children safe.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen opportunities for children to extend their communication and language skills further
• build on the existing good practice and seek further ways to help all staff develop their teaching skills.