Boundstone Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely motivated by this inspiring learning environment, designed specifically for two- and three-year-old children. They explore the exciting activities with great confidence, constantly smiling and laughing with the attentive staff. Children are consistently engaged in enjoyable learning and frequently make choices about their day. They decide whether to play indoors or with the many outdoor play activities. Children easily collect the resources they need to enhance their play. For instance, they take pencils and clip boards to write and draw outside. Children share musical instruments to play as they ride on their pretend bus. They develop independence and show exceptionally positive attitudes they need for future learning.

Children benefit greatly from the strong culture of inclusion. All children, including those with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are nurtured and very well cared for. They have excellent opportunities to learn through sensory activities, such as painting with their fingers or watching sparkly lights in the sensory room. Children quickly learn to consider others, accept and help each other. Staff use songs very well to remind children about previous learning and reinforce clear expectations. For example, children join in a safety song as they help each other climb a wall of tyres and slide down the other side. Children behave exceptionally well and thoroughly enjoy their time in the setting.

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

• Staff understand the particular needs of this age group and focus carefully on what each child needs. Staff show a genuine interest in their well-being and new children settle quickly. Children form good attachments to their key carer and go to them easily for help or reassurance. Staff help them to understand their emotions and begin to self-regulate their behaviour. Children follow their respectful role modelling and are consistently kind. They share resources willingly and play harmoniously with others.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is exceptionally experienced and knowledgeable. Children who may need additional support are identified extremely quickly and planning, with parents, to meet their needs is thorough. For example, additional staffing is provided to support children with SEND access learning activities. The SENCo and staff consistently use training and advice from other professionals, such as occupational and speech therapists, to help ensure all children have the same opportunity to achieve the best start to their education.
• Staff use a range of very good strategies to promote toddlers' speech and communication skills. They consistently use signing and help children to use picture clues, to enhance understanding of speech. They encourage conversation through carefully planned activities. For example, children use old telephones to hold pretend conversations with their friends and parents. Children clap with excitement and learn to listen carefully as they press buttons on a tablet to create noises and guess which animal is making the sounds. They develop strong self-esteem and make very good progress in their learning and development.
• Children have good opportunities to explore the natural world and develop very good physical skills. For example, they are excited to feel the rain and run around in the wind. Children look carefully at seeds and leaves falling from the trees. They develop good balance and challenge themselves as they climb on ladders, planks and frames.
• Teamwork and communication across the setting are very effective. Staff feel well supported by the experienced leaders and managers. Staff are encouraged to continually reflect on their practice and take part in research. They benefit from excellent opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge further. However, managers paused formal staff observation processes due to COVID-19 and resulting staff absence. As a result, monitoring of staff practice is not regular or strong enough, at present, to identify where some improvements need to be made to raise staff practice further.
• Managers and staff know the children and families very well. They are completely committed to giving parents any advice they need to help support their children's development at home. Managers are gradually reinstating activities for parents, such as parents' evening and stay-and-play sessions in the setting, that were paused due to COVID-19.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the system for monitoring, so that staff practice is consistently of high quality.