Apex Kids, Trinity House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into this fully inclusive nursery by friendly staff, who know them well. On arrival, children show enthusiasm and quickly settle into their play, exploring a wide range of exciting activities. For example, pre-school children hang their coats on their pegs and find their own name cards to register their attendance. Staff are caring and nurturing. Babies approach staff for cuddles, demonstrating secure bonds.

Staff plan and implement a broad curriculum for children, including tailored support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff engage with children's play and hold discussions about things they are interested in. As a result, they create an environment where activities and experiences reflect children's interests and spark their curiosity. For instance, toddlers and pre-school children delight in exploring bugs and learning the names of different plants in the nursery's garden.

Staff have high expectations for children and provide them with clear instructions. They teach children about the rules and boundaries in the nursery. For example, they remind children to be gentle and to use 'kind hands'. Staff also use positive reinforcement, such as praising children for listening and following instructions. This encourages good social interactions. Children display respect, share resources and take turns with their friends. Children play well with each other and form good friendships. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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

• Staff support children's communication and language development effectively. They introduce new words during children's play, read stories in an engaging manner and sing nursery rhymes. These strategies expand children's vocabulary to help them to become competent communicators.
• Managers provide a well-balanced and nutritious menu. They implement an effective system to carefully manage children's allergies and individual dietary requirements. Children learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, pre-school children understand the effects of healthy and unhealthy food on their bodies. This approach promotes children's overall health and well-being.
• Staff plan and implement group activities based on each child's stage of development and interests. However, at times, some activities do not take account of children's next steps in learning, which means they are too difficult or do not extend children's learning. For example, staff encourage pre-school children to use a ruler to measure objects when they do not yet have a secure understanding of numbers. This means that children are not fully supported in their learning to help them to make the best possible progress.
• Staff use observations and ongoing assessments to monitor all children's progress and identify any gaps in their learning. They make referrals for extra support promptly to ensure that all children receive the support they need. Managers explain that the recent receipt of additional funding will be used to enhance children's learning experiences through the inclusion of targeted resources and one-to-one support.
• Staff consistently promote children's independence. They encourage children to attempt tasks for themselves. For example, babies feed themselves, toddlers wash their hands before eating lunch and pre-school children brush their teeth after meals. This approach enhances children's independence, self-confidence and resilience.
• Children enjoy daily fresh air and physical exercise. They go on outings to places such as parks, libraries and shops in their local community. These outings contribute to their learning about diversity in the local area. However, staff have not considered ways to maximise opportunities for children to learn from experiences beyond their own local community. Consequently, this limits children's understanding of diversity in modern Britain.
• Staff participate in ongoing professional development opportunities, which helps them to improve their practice and interactions with children. For example, they engage in training, reflective discussions at staff meetings and mentoring sessions. This helps staff to increase their confidence and competence in their roles.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. Parents speak positively about managers, staff and the significant progress their children make. Staff communicate well with parents. For example, they provide daily updates on their children's care and learning, invite parents to meetings to discuss their children's development and provide suggestions on how to extend their learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan and implement group activities more precisely to take account of children's next steps in learning, to support children to make the best possible progress
• expand opportunities for children to explore and learn about communities beyond their own to broaden their understanding of diversity in modern Britain.