Bole Hill Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are nurturing and committed to forming strong bonds with children and families. They key-person system works effectively. Children are happy and settled at this welcoming nursery. They display a strong sense of belonging and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff plan activities that support children with their emotional well-being. They are good role models and children behave well. Staff instil a culture of respect and considerate behaviour. Children learn to share and take turns.

Staff working with babies are attentive and caring as they play and interact with the young children. Experiences are planned to support babies' physical abilities. For example, staff gently and reassuringly encourage babies to learn to crawl. Staff carefully position low-level resources to support toddlers to pull themselves up and to move around the room.

Children show positive attitudes to learning. Toddlers enjoy engaging in lots of sensory play experiences, like painting, sand, play dough and shaving foam. They are supported to develop their hand-eye coordination as staff provide them with lots of different tools and resources to use. Older children are independent and lead their own play. They recall prior learning as they enjoy playing beanbag mathematics games and making sand constructions.

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

• Managers and staff have worked hard to address the actions set at the last inspection. There are action plans in place for further improvement. For example, managers have identified the constraints of the large rooms the toddlers access. Plans are in place to change the way the rooms are used to further benefit these children's learning.
• Managers and staff plan a curriculum for children that is carefully sequenced to help them acquire the knowledge and skills needed before they start school. They assess what children are learning and establish what they need to learn next. However, on occasions, staff working with the older children do not adapt their teaching skills effectively to ensure that the most-able children's learning is extended.
• Children benefit from activities that support their communication and language skills. Throughout activities, staff narrate what is happening and introduce new vocabulary. However, staff miss opportunities to provide children with well-known rhymes and songs. This means children do not always develop an understanding of familiar words and a love of books.
• Staff tailor settling-in sessions to meet the individual needs of children. This supports children to feel confident about their move to their next stage in learning. Older children follow instructions and learn to manage their emotions. However, staff do not always encourage younger children to tidy away toys. This means that, sometimes, their environment becomes cluttered, and resources are not always used effectively.
• Parents speak highly about the nursery and comment on the progress their children have made. They express their gratitude for how much staff have helped them develop as parents and the constant support they provide to families. Staff include parents in all aspects of their children's learning. Children are well supported during transition into the nursery and in their move on to school.
• Children who need extra support are swiftly identified, and interventions are quickly put in place. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language (EAL) effectively. Staff speak regularly with other professionals to share information about children's learning and development. This helps staff to actively plan to move children with SEND and EAL forward in their learning.
• Staff support children to learn how they can live healthy lifestyles. They provide lots of opportunities for all children, including babies, to get physical outdoors. Children are provided with a range of balanced meals during snack and lunchtime. Children enjoy outings in the community. This helps them to develop an understanding of the world around them.
• Managers place a significant emphasis on staff well-being. Staff benefit from regular support meetings and specified training. Staff comment that being videoed carrying out activities to discuss with managers enables them to greatly improve their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• find more ways to offer challenge for the most-able children to consistently extend their learning
• provide children with more opportunities to access rhymes and stories in order to develop their knowledge of familiar words and a love of books
• introduce clearer routines for toddlers, so that they are consistently supported to develop their growing attention and focus as they play.