CC's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed warmly by the friendly staff and confidently move around their rooms, exploring the wide range of interesting and age-appropriate play equipment. Children and babies have strong attachments to staff. Staff are knowledgeable about each of the children. Children approach staff with spontaneous cuddles and go to them for reassurance if needed. Staff focus on the individual needs of the children and their family. This has a positive impact on children's personal, social and emotional development.

Children behave well. They listen well and are kind to their friends. for instance, babies, cuddle their friends when they feel sad and older children happily share their resources during paly. Children have a good knowledge of expected behaviours and understand how to keep safe. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.

The manager and staff team are very clear about their curriculum intent. They listen to children and pay attention to what they are interested in. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of their key children. They plan ambitiously for what children need to learn next. This helps children to make good progress.

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

• Staff understand that children have different starting points when they first attend. They focus on what children can do and adapt their curriculum to ensure that it is effective in building on children's starting points. Staff sequence learning alongside effective planning and assessment to ensure that children have exposure to a range of learning opportunities. This helps to develop children's skills for their future learning.
• Staff promote children's literacy skills by engaging them in animated storytelling and supporting them to write simple letters in their name. They carefully sequence learning as they provide opportunities for younger children to make marks in the sand using twigs and encourage older children to write letters in their name.
• Staff skilfully support children's communication and language skills. For example, they introduce new words and have purposeful discussions with older children during every day play. Sufficient value is placed on the importance of singing and story time for children, to help widen babies and older children's vocabulary. However, occasionally staff do not allow sufficient time for all children to process questions, clarify their thinking and be able to contribute with a response to further extend their critical thinking skills.
• Staff support children to create shapes using leaves, twigs, and stones in the mud kitchen outdoors. Staff skilfully talk about patterns and forming lines and shapes in sand. In addition, they support babies and younger children to use a range of resources to strengthen their fingers. For instance, older children use safety knives and carefully cut real fruits and vegetables for in the role play kitchen, while babies spoon and coloured rice and pasta into cups. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to develop a secure knowledge and use of vocabulary across all areas of mathematics.
• Children have good opportunities for building on their physical skills. Children have the same opportunities outdoors as they do indoors. They are independent from an early age. Babies feed themselves at mealtimes and make choices about their play. Older children are confident to share their ideas with staff. The level of independence increases as children move through the nursery. Children behave very well.
• Staff supervision meetings, training and a focus on staff well-being are promoted positively. The manager ensures that all staff have regular opportunities to discuss their role and responsibilities. Staff share that they feel supported and enjoy working as a team. The positive relationships staff have with each other and with the children, reflects the warm and friendly atmosphere felt throughout the setting.
• The nursery develops strong partnerships with parents. Staff encourage parents to be involved in their children's learning. Parents comment that staff are very caring and that they appreciate the ongoing communication and support. For instance, parents use an online system, attend workshops, and staff share activity packs to extend learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide sufficient time for all children to process questions, clarify their thinking and be able to contribute with a response to further extend their critical thinking skills
• develop ways to support staff to help children build a secure knowledge and use of vocabulary across all areas of mathematics.