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What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted warmly by staff on their arrival to nursery. Those that are new are offered timely support and encouragement to help them settle. Young children grow in confidence as they explore the activities on offer, returning to staff for reassurance when needed. Staff pay high regard to supporting children to be independent from a young age. They involve children in the daily routines. Children learn to take care of their belongings and to carry out tasks for themselves. They proudly take their turn helping staff to distribute lunches and set the tables at mealtimes. Younger children are actively encouraged to learn how to attend to their own personal care, such as using the toilet independently and washing their hands.

Children build positive relationships with staff and each other. They are encouraged to share and take turns and are reminded to use their manners. Staff are positive role models. They interact with children as they play helping them to understand behavioural expectations. Children play cooperatively with their friends as they role-play, cooking offering to help each other with the 'washing up'. Staff help older children to develop focus and concentration skills through small-group creative activities. They teach children how to hold and use scissors, pencils and glue sticks. Children become engaged as they practise their fine motor skills.

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

• The provider and leaders have been reflective in evaluating the quality of the provision. They have worked closely with staff to make further improvements. Leaders have improved communication within the staff team. They provide regular feedback to staff and offer training opportunities to help staff to build on their practice and skills. Recent training has increased staff's understanding of the impact of noisy environments on children's learning. This for example has resulted in them reflecting on and adapting their practice.
• Leaders and staff successfully implement a curriculum that considers all children's individual learning needs and interests. They have a clear understanding of what skills they would like children to learn, ready for their eventual move to school. Staff know what they want children to learn during activities and, overall, their interactions with children are positive and encouraging. However, staff do not always consider how individual children learn and adapt their interactions accordingly.
• Staff gather useful information about children's interests when they first start. They complete assessments to help them identify what children already know, to plan appropriate next steps. Staff provide a range of activities for children. However, they sometimes offer children too many different concepts and new ideas at the same time. On these occasions, some children become overwhelmed and disengage from their learning.
• Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are supported to develop good communication and language skills. Staff speak to children in their first language alongside English as they play. Children of all ages enjoy listening to stories and join in enthusiastically with familiar songs and rhymes. Staff ask open-ended questions and invite children to share their thoughts and predictions at story time. They use Makaton, speak clearly and help children sound out new words. Children sign 'hello' and 'how are you' to their friends during circle time.
• Outside, children enjoy being physically active. They negotiate space as they navigate climbing equipment, balance on beams and ride on balance bicycles. Staff encourage children to join in with music and movement sessions, where children use their whole body to stretch, jump and clap along to music. In addition, children take part in daily walks to the local park, benefiting from fresh air and space to run, building on their strength and stamina.
• Leaders and staff work closely together to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need. They regularly communicate with parents and other professionals to agree planned strategies to support children in the setting.
• Partnership with parents is positive. Leaders and staff take time to greet and welcome all children into the setting and know them and their families well. They maintain a constant two-way flow of clear and helpful information with parents. Parents comment that they are kept well informed, know their child's key person and what they are learning next.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to strengthen their understanding of how individual children learn and to adapt their interactions accordingly
• refine the planning of activities to ensure children are not overwhelmed and remain engaged.