Burton and South Derbyshire College Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident and settled in this inclusive environment. Children build secure bonds with caring staff, who welcome them warmly. This helps them to feel safe and secure and promotes their emotional well-being. Staff get to know children well and are sensitive to their individual needs. For example, babies enjoy cuddles and smile because they recognise familiar adults. Children behave well and staff teach them about the importance of being respectful to others, to share and take their turn. Staff help them to develop the social skills they need to play together. Children receive praise for their efforts and achievements. This develops their self-esteem.

The outdoor space has many opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. For instance, staff support children to carefully climb using low-level equipment outdoors. This helps children to develop their coordination skills. There is space for babies to move around while they practise their growing physical skills. Children explore materials, such as water and sand, using their senses. They listen to stories that they enjoy and name different farm animals, and the noises they make. Staff talk with babies to support their emerging language skills. Toddlers show good concentration skills while they build towers and older children join in enthusiastically while singing familiar songs.

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

• The new manager has a clear vision for the nursery and how to support children's learning and development. She believes in the importance of providing plenty of outdoor play to support children's health and well-being.
• Staff provide children with a broad curriculum that builds on children's interests. They provide a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities to help children to build on what they already know. Staff recognise that children enjoy playing with dolls. They use this interest to develop children's personal, social, and emotional skills, and their understanding of health and hygiene. However, less-experienced staff miss opportunities to extend children's learning further.
• Staff undertake regular assessments of children's abilities. They identify next steps in children's learning and use these to plan stimulating activities. The special educational needs coordinator has a good knowledge of any children who may be at risk of falling behind. She ensures that the curriculum is adapted to meet children's individual needs. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to help to support children's learning.
• Staff focus on supporting children's language skills and vocabulary from the outset. They engage with babies and children to build their confidence to talk and express themselves. Staff adapt their communication with children according to their individual age and stage of development. They model pronunciation carefully and encourage children to repeat and use words in their play.
• Staff encourage children to develop a love for books and reading. They select books that they know children will enjoy. Toddlers take an interest in the illustrations and help to turn the pages. Older children show confidence to join in with the repeated phrases from familiar stories that they enjoy.
• Children show a good understanding of the behaviour expectations in the nursery. They wait patiently to take their turn to wash their hands when they hear the 'handwashing' song. Children know the routines well. However, staff do not always offer further opportunities for children to practise everyday skills to support their developing independence, for example, during mealtimes.
• Parents are happy with the care provided at the nursery to their children and say that their children enjoy attending. Staff gain information from parents about children's care and learning needs when they start at the nursery. Parents comment that staff share information about their children's progress with them. Staff help them to understand what they can do next to help their child's development at home.
• The manager focuses on supporting staff well-being and their professional development. She makes sure staff keep all mandatory training up to date, including paediatric first aid and safeguarding. Staff attend relevant short courses, and they talk about what they have learned and the positive impact of this on children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the supervision and mentoring of staff to raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level
• make greater use of opportunities during mealtime routines to maximise children's learning and independence.