Andrew Memorial Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy to meet staff who give them a warm welcome on their arrival. Staff build strong bonds with children, providing reassurance and guidance throughout the day. This helps to make children feel safe and secure, ready to begin their learning. Staff model expectations to children, reminding them of boundaries and to be kind to one another. Staff are positive role models. Children are learning routines to prepare them for when they leave for school. Children behave well. They listen carefully, follow instructions and play co-operatively with their friends. They have a good attitude to their learning.

Children learn how to keep their bodies healthy. They learn good hygiene routines, such as washing hands before mealtimes. They participate in a group activity where they prepare a healthy fruit salad snack. Staff present various pieces of fruit such as apples, watermelon, and bananas. Children are encouraged by staff to explore the textures and smell the fruit before they begin to cut. Staff explain details of each fruit to broaden their understanding. Children observe that it is 'round' or 'oval'. They are beginning to understand mathematical concepts. When they finish the activity, they enjoy what they have prepared, and happily eat their fruit with their friends.

Leaders and staff ensure that every child has access to a broad and ambitious curriculum, which, in turn, ensures that every child, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, makes good progress.

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

• Children are building their independence skills. Young children are learning the early stages of putting on their coats. Staff begin the process and allow children to finish the routine by pulling up their zips by themselves. Staff understand the importance of teaching children the stages of self-care gradually, to build their understanding. At lunchtime, children are encouraged to find their packed-lunch bags and bring them back to the table. When they finish their meal, they understand the routine to pack away and put their bags back on their peg.
• Staff support children's physical development with a range of learning opportunities. Outside, children climb the equipment and use the slide. They pedal tricycles and cars around the playground. They are beginning to learn that sometimes they must wait their turn to use the equipment. Inside, children enjoy painting. They use large-arm movements to create paintings. They show delight in showing their artwork to staff. Children enjoy sitting on the floor and colouring and drawing in a group, on large sheets of paper. Staff support children in holding the pencil, providing help with early writing skills.
• Parents speak highly of this nursery. They feel the settling-in process helps to support their child and reassures them that their child is safe and settled. Parents appreciate the support the leader and staff provide for their child and the home-learning bags to support their reading and listening skills.
• The leader and staff provide an ambitious curriculum. This ensures that every child reaches their full potential. Children's starting points are established through ongoing discussions with parents, observations of children and knowing children's interests. This helps to plan for children effectively, based on what they know now, and what they need to know next. The leader oversees teaching effectively, however, occasionally younger children are not planned for effectively to ensure that they remain focused in their learning.
• The leader ensures that staff have regular supervision meetings where staff have the opportunity to discuss their key children. In addition, they discuss workload and their own well-being. The leader knows the importance of having happy staff to provide effective teaching. Training opportunities are identified. However, the leader recognises that training needs to be strengthened further so that staff are fully aware of safeguarding terminology to improve their knowledge further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen activities to engage and support two-year-olds, based on their interests, to ensure they develop skills to build their listening and attention skills further
• strengthen training opportunities so that staff develop a wide knowledge of relevant safeguarding terminology.