Beavers Lodge Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff take excellent steps to ensure that children settle securely in this warm, very nurturing and highly organised setting. They carry out home visits before each child starts at the nursery to build very strong relationships with children. Staff take full account of each child's needs and interests, for example by making bespoke 'home boxes'. These contain special items that children like, which they can use to provide emotional support as they settle in to the nursery. It is testament to the highly caring staff that all children, even children who are new to the setting, settle so readily and confidently. Staff value each child very highly.

The curriculum is constructed very thoughtfully and offers children very wide-ranging and enriching experiences. All children make exceptional progress. Staff teach children an understanding of the world in excellent ways. While in the garden, staff use life-like toys of minibeasts to teach children the names of different insects. They spontaneously direct them over to fresh lavender plants, where real-life bumble bees circle over flowers. Children take great delight in observing the bees, and staff teach them about different features of the insects. Children gain good knowledge of nature. Staff support children's mathematical skills in highly effective ways. For example, they teach children to recognise numbers in fun and physical ways as they play hopscotch. Staff take every opportunity to teach children to count and identify shapes, for instance as they play in the sand tray and make circular moulds. Staff have high expectations of children, and they support children to behave in very positive ways.

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

• Children make rapid progress in their communication, language and literacy skills. Staff create social story picture books of experiences or things relevant to children. They use these books to stimulate discussion and support children's language highly effectively. Staff promote high levels of discussion about interesting objects shown to children at group times.
• Children have excellent independence skills. Even the youngest children prepare and slice their own fruit and pour drinks. They put their plates and cups away after eating, and many of the children gain these skills in a short time.
• Staff place a very strong emphasis on developing children's personal and social skills. They set weekly group goals, such as to learn to share and take turns. Staff use all activities to promote this area, for example during snack time as children take turns to butter toast.
• Staff support children's understanding of emotions very successfully. They discuss and introduce the names of different feelings to children during group time. Children use emotion puppets, and staff read stories to children to support their understanding further. Children gain an excellent understanding of feelings.
• Children gain an exceptional understanding of good oral hygiene. A dental nurse visits the nursery to run workshops for children on how to keep teeth and gums healthy. Staff ensure that children get lots of toothbrushing practise on teeth and gum models. They read stories to children and discuss foods that maintain healthy teeth and gums.
• Partnership working with parents is exceptional. The manager provides workshops for parents to support their skills and understanding in different areas. For example, she provides workshops for parents on behaviour management and developing children's communication skills. Parents borrow books and other resources to support their children's learning at home. Staff keep parents highly informed of their children's progress in flexible and very effective ways.
• Staff provide excellent support for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Of particular note is the highly effective link with the on-site primary school. A teacher works closely with children, staff and parents to provide excellent interventions to support children's progress.
• The setting provides highly effective support to, and monitoring of, staff. For example, the provider works in the group room to model good practice. She analyses staff's interactions with children and provides feedback to enhance staff practice. She sets goals for staff during regular supervision meetings and provides support where needed.
• The provider is extremely committed to staff development and ensures that they have plenty of training opportunities. For instance, staff attended a course on schemas in child development, which led to better outcomes for children.
• The provider has a precise understanding of the nursery's strengths and where to build ongoing improvements. She plans to continue to enhance the provision for children with SEND.
• Children gain excellent physical skills. They enjoy a range of challenges in the spacious, well-equipped outdoor area. For example, children develop balance skills as they walk across a rope bridge and steer wheeled toys carefully in open space. Staff organise ball games to enhance children's throwing and catching skills.