Burslem Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children relish their time in this warm and inviting nursery. They build strong bonds with staff. This supports their emotional security. Children are provided with meaningful learning and a rich curriculum. This builds on their interests and existing knowledge. Children confidently remember what they have learned. Children enjoy exploring the secure outdoor area and practise their gross-motor skills as they climb, crawl, and run freely around the large climbing structure, giggling as their friends chase them. They have opportunities to engage with the natural world. For example, a child expressed a fascination at finding a worm and said, 'Look, a slug'. The proactive staff enabled this curiosity with an anatomy comparison of slugs and worms, extended by making the worm a shelter from the hot sun. Most staff model good language and communication skills to children to support their speech development.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and learning. Children follow these expectations well and are supported to take turns and share. Children behave very well. They are thoughtful and caring towards their friends. For instance, children skilfully pour cups of water and ask their friends and staff if they would like a drink. Children use good manners without needing to be reminded and are developing positive attitudes to learning.

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

• Staff deliver an inclusive curriculum that supports children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children who speak English as an additional language progress well. Staff liaise with parents and learn words in their home language to help children develop a good grasp of English. All children make good progress relative to their starting points. Careful consideration is given to how additional funding is spent to ensure it has the biggest impact on children's learning.
• Staff are resourceful and plan stimulating activities that ignite children's interests. Children listen intently as staff read a story about holidays, with a child pointing out that an elephant would need a bigger paddling pool. Staff are positive role models and children are engrossed in their learning. However, occasionally staff do not notice where adaptations are needed in their practice to ensure that all children remain engaged and consistently challenged.
• Children develop a love of books as they listen to familiar stories. Staff read with enthusiasm and encourage children to join in with the actions to familiar songs. Staff understand the importance of singing songs and rhymes to support children's language skills and encourage all children to join in.
• Babies delight in their sensory play as they explore different textures with their hands and mouths. Staff use good facial expressions and are nurturing and receptive to their needs. However, at times, some staff do not engage in high-quality interactions with younger children to support their growing vocabulary to the highest level.
• Children are developing an awareness of healthy eating and the importance of good oral health. Children talk about drinking water to keep them hydrated and how healthy snacks make them strong. Staff reinforce this during conversations at mealtimes and adult-led activities. For example, children and staff discuss the importance of brushing their teeth properly. Hygiene practises are effective as staff teach children to become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs.
• Parents comment that their children 'absolutely love' the nursery and that staff are 'friendly and supportive'. They receive daily feedback on their children's progress and share information from home to further enhance their learning. Children are well supported during transition into the nursery and in their move on to school.
• The leadership and management of this nursery are good. Self-evaluation is accurate and identifies areas for senior leaders to develop further. The manager holds supervision meetings with staff to reflect on the quality of their practice. However, leaders do not focus performance management and professional development opportunities sharply enough on developing consistency in teaching practice to raise the quality of the provision to the highest level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus professional development opportunities more sharply on supporting staff to provide consistently high levels of teaching and interactions with children
• support staff working with younger children to enhance their practice to consistently engage and challenge all children in learning experiences.