Argyle Pre School Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and excited to arrive at this nursery. Staff are welcoming and encourage them to explore the learning environment. Children are eager to find out what they can get involved in. Staff gather information from parents when children start about their likes and dislikes. They use this effectively to ensure children can play with familiar and favourite equipment. This helps even the youngest children to feel secure and settle well.

Children have many opportunities to interact socially with their peers. They are chatty and highly engaged as they sit together for snacks and mealtimes. Children learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They talk with staff about the healthy lunches that they bring from home. Staff encourage children to eat their savoury items first and talk with them about the different food groups. Children persevere in opening their packaging and lunch boxes. This helps them to develop the strength of the small muscles in their hands.

Children have the opportunity to choose where they spend time. Some children opt for the smaller room with a quieter atmosphere. They become highly engaged in play and are reassured by the presence of familiar adults. This creates a feeling of connection and belonging for all children across the nursery.

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

• Leaders work closely with staff to develop a curriculum that reflects the individual needs of all children. They gather information about the children and then use this to create interesting and purposeful learning experiences. Leaders and staff use their sound child development knowledge to support all children to reach their potential.
• Leaders ensure that a strong key-person system helps parents and carers to become involved in their children's learning. Staff nurture trusting and respectful relationships with parents. This helps to develop a deep understanding of children's needs. Staff plan engaging play opportunities to build on what children already know and can do. This extends children's skills and knowledge across all seven areas of learning.
• Staff are strong role models for children's communication and language. They create many opportunities for social interaction. Children interact enthusiastically with both their peers and the staff. Children play collaboratively, using their imagination to negotiate rules and engage in small-world play. For example, children create an imaginative game with vehicles in the sand tray.
• Staff invite children to share books in the cosy reading corner. Children enjoy turning the pages and looking at the pictures of familiar stories. Staff nurture a love of books. This helps to develop children's early literacy skills. However, during large-group story time, younger children become easily distracted. This causes them to lose interest and means that not all children benefit from the teaching.
• Children learn how to take turns. Staff respond swiftly when children need support to do this. Staff are consistent in their approach. This supports children to understand the nursery rules effectively. Staff are gentle and fair in their communication with all children. This helps children to understand what is expected of them. They are keen to do the right thing. For example, children enthusiastically get involved in tidying up before lunch.
• Children are encouraged to make choices at snack time. However, on occasion, staff are quick to complete simple tasks for children that they could try for themselves, such as pouring liquids and fetching their drink bottles. This does not fully support all children to develop independence skills.
• Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe. Children stop, wait and listen as they walk together across the car park to access the large outdoor play space. Children tell visitors that they must stop and look to see if any cars or vans are parking. Staff ensure high levels of supervision to keep children safe.
• Parents and grandparents appreciate the friendly and professional staff team. They comment positively on the detailed feedback they receive from their child's key person. Parents are delighted with the strong progress that children make. They are pleased with how quickly children settle when they start nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the organisation of large-group time to enable all children to benefit from the experience
• help children to develop their independence skills by offering more opportunities for them to complete tasks for themselves.