Angel Place Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at this nursery and receive a warm welcome from friendly staff. Children show that they feel safe and secure. For example, some babies hold their hands out to staff as they separate from their parents. An effective settling-in process supports children's transition between home and the nursery successfully. For example, staff take time to collect information from parents and get to know children's personal care routines, preferences and interests. They use this information to help children to settle into the nursery environment. This helps babies and young children to develop strong and positive attachments to their key person.

Leaders have designed a clear and broad curriculum that can be adapted effectively to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, babies learn to build relationships with their familiar adults. Toddlers start to follow a predictable daily routine. Older children learn to recognise their written name and look after their belongings. Staff support children to develop a range of skills that will help them move on to the next stage in their education.

Children are well behaved, caring and considerate. They listen, follow instructions and are encouraged to take turns when appropriate. Staff give children regular praise. This helps to develop children's confidence and self-esteem.

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

• Leaders create a stimulating environment that supports the intent of the setting's curriculum. They ensure that available resources meet children's needs well. For example, equipment has been purchased to support children's physical development further.
• Children benefit from a range of physical activities to develop their small and large muscles. Babies are encouraged to crawl and practise their walking. Older children practise their balancing and jumping skills. This helps children to make good progress in their physical development.
• Leaders have a good understanding of what children know and need to learn next, offering activities based on their interests. For instance, children strengthen their fingers by moulding play dough. While some staff effectively plan and deliver activities to meet children's unique learning needs, this practice is not always consistent. As a result, some learning opportunities are not fully tailored to the specific needs of children.
• Staff promote children's good health. They provide healthy and nutritious snacks and meals. Staff support children with good hygiene routines, such as handwashing. Following recent training to support daily toothbrushing, this routine is being implemented in the nursery.
• Staff promote a love of books and reading throughout the nursery. Babies enjoy listening to stories and lifting the flaps in books. Toddlers learn more about their favourite dinosaurs as they explore books about a boy and his dinosaurs. Older children enjoy reading about people who help us and re-enact the stories during role play activities. Children have access to a wide range of books.
• Overall, teaching is good. Staff provide children with positive interactions that support their learning. For example, staff help babies to learn new words during activities and routines. They encourage them to keep trying and celebrate their successes with warm praise. However, at times, staff teaching is not fully effective. For instance, staff do not always encourage children who are less engaged. Leaders offer support to staff to develop their knowledge and skills, but this is not yet finely tuned to help staff deliver consistently good teaching.
• Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively as staff give them gentle reminders about what is expected of them and how to behave. For example, babies are taught to take turns and share their toys. In addition, staff give children responsibilities, which they carry out with pride.
• The curriculum supports the development of children's early mathematical skills effectively. Staff provide play-based experiences to encourage children to expand their mathematical vocabulary. For example, they incorporate counting and early number concepts into children's everyday play.
• Staff build effective partnerships with parents. They offer parents many opportunities to get involved with their children's learning, such as through stay- and-play sessions. Leaders plan a varied parent programme to offer them support and advice. Parents comment favourably about the positive communication they have from staff about their children's time at the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently tailor learning opportunities to the specific needs of children
• focus staff's professional development more sharply on enhancing their teaching skills to support all children to make the best possible progress.