Building Blocks Preschool Walton on Thames

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and engaged. They enjoy warm and caring support from staff. For instance, when younger children feel unsure, staff respond promptly and reassure them by singing familiar songs and encouraging them to engage in activities. Children show that they are secure at nursery by responding positively to staff and focusing their attention on their chosen activity.

Staff have high expectations for children's learning and development. They plan activities well to build on what children know and can do. For example, older children take part in a literacy activity where staff encourage them to remember what they have previously learned. Staff provide children with appropriate support to help them wait their turn to match the letters and sounds. Children show excitement as they share their knowledge with the group. Staff effectively guide children when they need support and offer them lots of praise when they find the correct answer. This helps children to develop the knowledge they need for later reading skills.

Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their independence. For instance, during mealtimes, staff encourage them to put their cups and bowls away after they have finished eating. Staff also remind children to wash their hands at appropriate times, which helps them to learn how to manage their own self-care skills.

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

• Leaders strive to offer high-quality education and care. Since the last inspection, they have reviewed the provision and made the necessary improvements in order to enhance children's experiences at nursery. For instance, leaders have embedded the curriculum well in staff practice. This enables staff to understand what they want children to learn so they can plan for their continued development.
• Leaders aim to provide an inclusive service that provides all children with a wide range of activities and experiences. For example, staff build on children's knowledge of animals by taking them to the local pet shop. Children enjoy looking at the different types of pets, and this enables them to make links between what they have learned and the physical world around them.
• Parents praise the nursery for the lovely, nurturing care that staff provide for children. Staff know their children well, including their home life and where they are in their development. Parents say that their children are happy and love attending nursery. They report that staff work in partnership with them to ensure that appropriate information is shared so that they can meet children's care needs. Parents are kept informed of their child's daily routines and activities. However, parents do not consistently receive ideas for how they can extend their child's learning at home. This does not fully provide children with consistent support in their development.
• Staff feel valued and supported by leaders. They benefit from coaching, mentoring and support that enables them to strengthen their practice. For instance, leaders have regular one-to-one meetings with staff, which enables them to work together to identify further training. This supports staff to enhance their practice.
• Children are supported well by staff to show positive behaviour and engage well in their learning. For example, staff help children to take part in adult-led activities. They provide children with clear explanations of what they will be doing. This includes showing children how to do the activity. This enables children to understand what is expected of them.
• Leaders and staff consider ways to enable children to develop an understanding of how to manage risks for themselves. This includes talking to children about hazards in their environment when they go on outings. They also teach children about online safety. This enables children to learn how to keep themselves safe.
• Overall, teaching is good. Children enjoy positive interactions from staff. For example, when staff show them how to move in different ways, children beam with delight and copy the different actions. However, on occasion, staff do not recognise when children's interests change in order to adapt their teaching to extend children's development further. At these times, children do not benefit from high-quality teaching.
• Children benefit from opportunities to develop their large muscles. For instance, non-walking children spend time using the walkers to move around the room. Staff guide them, which helps children to learn the skills they need to become confident walkers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen parent partnerships so that all parents receive ideas for home learning
• support staff to recognise opportunities to follow children's interests and further extend their learning.