Broadway Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive at the nursery and separate from their parents with ease. They quickly establish strong relationships with staff and demonstrate that they feel safe and emotionally secure in their care. For example, children go to staff for a cuddle when they feel tired or in need of reassurance, especially when they are settling in and new to the setting. Children who speak English as an additional language are exceptionally well supported by staff. They learn to express themselves in a variety of ways using sign language and picture cards, to help their communication and language development.

Children continually learn about the world around them and are introduced to a range of experiences. For example, they are beginning to understand about environmental responsibility as they recycle and appreciate the importance of living sustainably. Furthermore, children learn about the life cycle of a butterfly and the unique stages of life it goes through. They observe the magical process of change and transformation. Children are independent learners and are motivated to achieve what they set out to do. For example, they figure out how to successfully put on the dressing-up clothes. Children behave well, play cooperatively and are learning to share.

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

• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery has restricted parents from entering the building when dropping off and collecting their children, except for new families. Overall, parents are very happy with the provision and regular information is shared through an online application. This helps to keep them informed about their children's care and learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have tailored support to help them to make progress. The manager and staff identify children with SEND through their observations and assessments. They work with parents and other professionals to ensure a suitable curriculum is put in place. Where formal plans are needed, these are completed in time for children to move on to the next stage in their learning with the correct level of support.
• Staff focus heavily on improving children's speaking skills. They commentate on children's play and speak clearly and consistently. The younger children help staff to scoop out cornflour into a large tray and add water. They use spoons to investigate the change in texture. Children watch with anticipation as the mixture falls from the spoon. Staff teach children new words, such as 'plop', as they describe what is happening.
• Children enjoy planting and harvesting the home-grown vegetables in the nursery garden. This encourages children to adopt a healthy lifestyle and understand where food comes from. Additionally, staff urge children to spend plenty of time outside to develop their physical skills and improve strength and coordination.
• Staff support children to be independent during mealtimes as they are encouraged to serve themselves and pour their own drinks. Children demonstrate good table manners and are kind, sociable and polite.
• Children are developing mathematically and scientifically. For example, they practise tipping and pouring water from one container to another, exploring and investigating weight, capacity and volume. Children extend their interest and pour the water into the sand. They relish in watching it evaporate and making puddles.
• Staff plan a balanced curriculum that covers all areas of learning. They have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. However, sometimes, staff do not implement the curriculum intent specifically enough during planned activities. This means, occasionally, some activities do not build on what children already know and can do and children experience general learning, rather than a deeper level of education.
• The manager is very reflective and has clear plans in place to develop the nursery further. However, she does not regularly coach, support and monitor staff practice to identify areas for improvement and target inconsistencies in teaching. For example, occasionally, some staff miss opportunities to pose questions in a way that help children think more critically or give them enough time to respond to questions asked.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum learning intention for planned activities, so they are clear about what skills and knowledge they want children to gain
• consider ways to regularly coach, support and monitor staff practice, to identify areas for improvement and address some inconsistencies in teaching.