Capital City College Holloway Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and keen to start their day at this well-run nursery. They confidently join their key person, who greets them with a smile and talks to them about the exciting day ahead. Inside, they quickly settle at one of the interesting activities staff have planned for them. Overall, children are well motivated to learn. They explore the provision independently, choosing toys and equipment they are interested in. Staff are always close at hand to support and extend their play.

Key persons know their children very well. Before children start, key persons talk to parents about children's interests and care needs. This ensures that children's move into nursery is smooth and they quickly feel secure. Ongoing observation and regular assessments help staff to identify any gaps in children's learning and development. For example, following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff identified that some children were struggling to socialise and play with their peers. They immediately put plans in place to support them, providing lots of small-group activities where children could practise their social skills without feeling overwhelmed.

Children understand the nursery routines and what they should do during key times of the day. They all know when it is time to sit on the carpet and how they should behave while waiting to be called for lunch.

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

• Managers have a strong vision for the nursery and are very clear about how to improve it. Supervision and performance monitoring procedures ensure that teaching practice is regularly reviewed. Training and professional development are organised so that staff continue to develop their knowledge and skills.
• Managers and staff understand what they want children to learn and why. They focus on the basic skills children need to be successful in their learning, ensuring they will be ready for school.
• The majority of children who attend the nursery are beginning to speak English as an additional language. Staff learn words in home languages and provide dual-language books. This helps children to make connections and improves their understanding of spoken English.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to talk about and express their emotions. For example, a 'feelings table' is set up in the playroom. Children can select a doll to express their current mood. This deepens their understanding of emotions and helps them to regulate their behaviour. Most of the time, children's behaviour is good. However, some staff do not consistently reinforce and praise good behaviour or explain to children why their behaviour is inappropriate.
• Communication and language provision is very good. Staff spend lots of time talking to the children. They introduce new words and model their correct usage. Every opportunity is used to develop the children's vocabulary. For example, children sing rhymes and songs during carpet sessions, when tidying up and spontaneously while eating their lunch.
• Understanding the world is a strong feature of the curriculum. Children learn about diversity and difference by learning about key festivals and playing with positive small-world toys. They look after and grow a range of plants in the outside area, including fruit and vegetables. Afterwards, they harvest the produce and enjoy eating it.
• Most children understand why it is important to look after the learning environment and the equipment they play with. However, some children do not use resources appropriately. Staff do not always remind them or show them how to use them correctly. Therefore, these children do not fully access activities and make as much progress as they could.
• Children have opportunities to play on their own and with their friends and to join larger group sessions during the day. Taking part in large-group activities helps children develop their personal and social skills, while learning from each other. However, some carpet sessions are quite long, and younger children's attention and focus can suffer as a result.
• Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents report that they are kept up to date with their children's learning and really appreciate the daily information that key persons share with them. Parents of children who are beginning to speak English as an additional language highlight how much their children's spoken English skills have developed since joining the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to consistently reinforce good behaviour, supporting children effectively when they are having difficulties
• ensure staff model and remind children how to use resources and equipment correctly, improving their access to activities and securing good progress
• consider the length of carpet sessions, ensuring all children remain focused and their learning progresses.