Children 4 Most At Flowery Field

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to arrive at the nursery, where they have a very positive start to their education. They have strong relationships with staff members. Children seek out staff members for cuddles and reassurance. They are happy and safe. Children play outside every day in spaces that have been designed to meet their needs. For example, pre-school children run, climb and balance. This helps to develop children's physical skills.

Songs are used as a powerful tool to engage children and promote learning. Children build a large repertoire of nursery rhymes during their time at the nursery. Their vocabulary expands and they explore rhythm and rhyme. Songs are also used to support positive behaviour. For example, when children start circle time, they sing 'Is everybody looking?' This helps children to behave well.

Children learn new knowledge and skills over time. For example, toddlers learn about different animals and practise the noises they make. Staff set high expectations for children, which supports their ongoing progress. Children grow in their independence. For example, after lunchtime, toddlers follow the familiar routine as they find their beds and lie down, covering themselves with blankets. Parents are now allowed into the building following the COVID-19 pandemic. This has had a positive impact on children and partnerships with families as it helps children to settle.

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

• All staff have a very good understanding of what they want children to learn. They know children well and target activities to help children to achieve their next steps. For example, staff provide encouragement as they sensitively support babies to take their first steps. This targeted learning helps to ensure all children make good progress, including those in receipt of additional funding.
• Communication and language is well supported. For example, staff repeat key words throughout their daily activities with babies. Staff model full sentences as they respond to toddlers. As children progress between rooms, their vocabulary develops. This contributes to children being able to express themselves.
• Activities are engaging and capture children's attention. Staff are well placed around each room to support and extend learning. For example, toddlers develop their coordination skills as they play enthusiastically with coloured pasta and rice. Staff teach children about colours and children develop their small-muscle skills as they scoop and pour pasta. They squeal with delight as the rice falls through their fingers, enjoying the sensory experience.
• At times, staff do not quickly recognise when children lose focus. For example, activities sometimes last too long and children become distracted. Children cannot always see resources during small-group activities, such as books. This means children cannot always fully participate in activities.
• Children's independence is promoted well. For example, children use tongs to serve their own fruit at snack time. Staff encourage children to clean their faces and wash their hands independently. This helps to develop children's confidence and skills in self-care.
• Staff are highly responsive to children's needs. For example, they identify when children are hungry or tired, and respond immediately. They have warm and positive interactions with children at all times. This contributes to secure attachments, which helps children to feel settled.
• Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. The knowledgeable special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) works closely with the local authority and takes on board advice from external agencies. This helps to ensure children with SEND make the best progress they are capable of.
• The strong management team is supported by owners who are passionate and involved. Staff are encouraged to continue their professional development. Qualified staff are positive role models for those who are training. This helps to build a high-quality staff team.
• Parents are very happy with the nursery. They praise the regular communication they receive through an online system. They particularly enjoy receiving 'wow moments' and photos. This helps them to understand what children have been learning so they can extend it at home.
• The nursery has close links with the attached children's centre. The nursery works in collaboration with health visitors and speech and language therapists, who provide support for children. The nursery and children's centre work as a team to help ensure children and families have access to any support they need.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise when children have lost focus and address the reasons why this occurs.