Alpha Nursery (Eltham)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well on arrival. Young children build close relationships with their key persons and learn the routines at the setting. Older children show that they are happy, as they are eager to share play experiences with the staff and their peers.

Children learn to behave well and take account of the needs of others. Staff are alert to behaviour issues and support children well to help them to understand what is expected of them.

Babies build on their physical skills. For example, they learn to hold on to a small cord and pull along toys as they walk. Toddlers learn to scoop and transfer natural materials, such as sand. Older children learn to operate a garden hose to fill a tub with water in preparation for their play.

The management team plans a curriculum that focuses on individual children's needs and their progress. All children, including those with additional needs, are encouraged to participate in activities that challenge their learning. Older children, including those for whom the setting receives funding, are prepared well for their move to school. Parents provide positive feedback about their children's time at the setting. Parents of children who speak English as an additional language state that their children have made good progress from their starting points.

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

• The management team has a clear vision for children's learning and development. Assessment and curriculum planning are effective to identify and plan for children who need additional support. The team focuses well on promoting children's confidence and independence.
• Staff and children have great fun preparing for a 'graduation day' to which parents are invited. Staff make use of this opportunity to teach children how to use a microphone while speaking to the audience. They celebrate children's achievements. Children feel valued and they build an understanding of what makes them unique.
• Staff provide a range of experiences to help children to develop and deepen their knowledge. For example, to extend children's interest in transport vehicles, staff read related stories to them and take them on outings to watch the trains. Staff skilfully plan exciting activities, such as making transport vehicles with play dough. This motivates children, who enjoy sensory experiences, to participate in the activity.
• Children enjoy sharing role-play experiences with their peers. They use available resources to pretend to care for pets and transport them in a pet carrier. Staff show young children how to change a baby doll's nappy. However, staff have not fully considered ways to enhance older children's creative thinking during some activities.
• Toddlers learn to recall vocabulary in context. For example, when staff show children a picture of the moon, children comment that they see the moon when they are in the garden. Staff challenge children's learning. For example, they give verbal clues to encourage children to guess what picture is next in the stack of cards. They ask children 'what do rabbits eat?' and children excitedly guess that the next picture is a 'carrot'.
• Staff work closely with parents to meet individual children's dietary needs. Older children learn to serve themselves at mealtimes. Staff promote children's early understanding of a healthy lifestyle. They provide regular opportunities for children to play in the fresh air and be physically active.
• Children develop a love for books. During story time, they join in by repeating familiar phrases, and learn to answer questions about the story.
• Staff question children skilfully to encourage them to explore the qualities of natural materials, such as water. Children comment that the flour is 'dry' before they add water and becomes 'wet' when they add water. Staff teach children that plants need water to grow. Children build on their understanding of the natural world.
• Children are mostly well engaged. However, on some occasions, when babies and toddlers are grouped together staff do not plan well enough to sustain children's interest and the environment gets noisy.
• Leaders and managers supervise staff effectively and plan well for their professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff skills to plan effectively to sustain children's engagement, particularly during activities involving children of different age groups
• enhance opportunities for children to actively contribute their ideas and use their imagination during activities.