Burgess Park Community Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter this extremely safe and nurturing setting enthusiastically. They are greeted warmly by staff and settle very quickly at an activity. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), display high levels of concentration and focus. Staff adapt activities and make sure that they are inclusive, which enables all children to participate. Staff are skilled at ensuring that each child has the right amount of challenge. They are positive role models for children. Staff are extremely respectful of each other, providing help and support where needed. As such, this supports children to learn to interact with each other. Children's behaviour is exemplary. Older children help and support younger children. Children are happy and play cooperatively together, developing shared narratives to their games.

Staff have extremely high expectations for children. They provide experiences that allow children to develop resilience and have confidence in their own capabilities. For instance, staff use an 'aspiration board' to allow children to develop the self-belief to imagine they can grow up to be whatever they would like. Children with SEND and their families are exceptionally well supported. Staff ensure that children access the appropriate support services quickly. They work in partnership with other agencies to provide consistent support for children and their families.

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

• The quality of education across the setting is excellent. Staff provide an ambitious curriculum, which makes use of the indoor and outdoor environments to provide stimulating experiences for children. Children are curious to explore and engage with the variety of opportunities available.
• Staff at the setting know children extremely well. There is a strong key-person system in place. During the settling-in process, staff accurately record children's starting points in development. They use their regular observations and monitoring to quickly identify and bridge any gaps in children's learning. Children are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff deliver the curriculum for communication and language development consistently to a high level. All children are exposed to a wide variety of language and new vocabulary through songs, stories and conversations. Children confidently use new language purposefully in their play. Older children share new vocabulary and concepts they have learned during a science experiment with children who are younger. For example, in the water tray, children demonstrate how some objects float and others sink.
• Staff embed British values throughout the setting. They encourage families to share what is important to them and celebrate this in the setting. Children are respectful of each other, listening to the views and opinions of others. They have a voice in the setting, which teaches them that what they have to say is important and valued. Children have their own weekly planning meetings, where they discuss their current interests.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles expertly with children. They provide children with healthy, balanced meals and snacks. Children take part in weekly cooking activities, which allows them to try new ingredients. Staff support parents with family cooking workshops and share recipes with parents. This supports parents to share cooking experiences with their children at home.
• Children have a vast range of opportunities to be physically active in the large garden space. Children learn to balance and move their bodies in different ways, such as through regular yoga sessions. This also begins to teach children ways to regulate and control their breathing for when they may become overwhelmed.
• Partnership with parents is excellent. Parents speak extremely highly of the support they have received from the setting, not just for their children but for the whole family. This includes support for parents with applying for reception places at school, as well as advice to support their children through different developmental stages. Parents value the food bank service that staff provide. For many families, this has proved a lifeline in difficult times.
• Staff are extremely reflective and constantly evaluate the service they provide. All staff are highly motivated. They are passionate and driven to provide the very best start for all children in their care. Staff feel well supported by leaders and managers. They feel valued and have access to further training opportunities to continue their own professional development.