Awsworth Schoolhouse Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies are happy, calm and relaxed, while older children are active and curious in the nursery. Children engage in their learning as they independently access and explore resources. They build secure attachments with staff. At sleep times, staff who work with younger children help them to settle on sleep mats. Children quickly fall asleep as staff soothe them. Children of all ages are confident and friendly. They engage visitors in conversation and ask, 'can I help you?' as they point to the visitor's computer.

Children show confidence as they play. Babies use their fine small-muscle skills to manipulate play dough. Older children use their imagination as they pretend to make cakes and place them in the role-play oven. Toddlers explore and investigate different instruments and sing songs and rhymes. Children show their creativity when they use items, such as feathers and cotton balls, to paint and create pictures.

Children are kind and considerate and offer help to one another. For example, they bring their friends their shoes to put on. Children use good manners as they say, 'thank you' when their friend offers them some pretend dinner. Children thrive on staff's praise for their kindness.

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

• The manager provides good support to staff, both mentally and professionally. Staff meet with the manager to discuss their work and training needs. They attend training courses that have a positive impact on their working practice. For example, staff working with babies are developing a routine basket to help babies learn what happens next.
• Children are motivated and keen to learn and show a positive attitude to playing and exploring as they spend a long time at their chosen activities. Staff provide good opportunities for children to investigate the variety of resources on offer. However, staff are sometimes too focused on ensuring all children get attention as they move between the activities that children are engaged in. On these occasions, staff generally oversee learning rather than focusing on supporting children's individual learning needs.
• Overall, staff support children's communication and language skills. Children listen well and respond to questions at circle time. They learn and recall new vocabulary. For example, when asked for a word beginning with 'g' children respond with 'gorgeous' and 'grunt'. However, staff working with babies do not always model words correctly as they say words, such as 'piggy' and 'ta'. This does not help children to hear the correct punctuation to help extend their speaking skills. Furthermore, some staff do not further children's vocabulary as they play alongside them.
• Staff support children to develop a love of books. Babies share books with staff and enjoy pressing interactive buttons to create animal noises. Toddlers sit and listen to a story while exploring sensory bottles that bring the book to life. Pre-school children sit on cushions and look at a book independently.
• Staff recognise the importance of supporting children's independence. This is a curriculum focus for all ages. For example, babies learn to drink from cups without lids. Pre-school children self-serve their breakfast and tidy away cups and plates when they finish. This gives children a sense of responsibility and helps them build skills in preparation for their future in education.
• Staff support children as they develop an awareness of oral hygiene. Children join in role-play activities to support their understanding of self-care and the importance of brushing their teeth well. Staff sit alongside the children as they use sponges to wash dolls and toothbrushes and toothpaste to brush doll's teeth.
• Staff work well with parents and share information to help them support their children's learning at home. For example, staff send home fortnightly play planning and give parents ideas of activities they can do with their children.
• Staff ensure children receive fresh air and physical exercise every day to support a healthy lifestyle. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring the garden, where they can ride wheeled toys, balance on equipment, and dig in the mud.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff interactions with children, so they consistently focus on supporting children's individual learning needs
• strengthen the modelling of words, so that young children hear the grammatically correct pronunciation of words, and all children are helped to develop their speaking skills further.