Chilton Meadows Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this caring nursery where staff treat children as part of the family. Children demonstrate that they are happy as they sit on knees and look at books. Older children thoroughly enjoy collecting leaves into a Halloween potion outside. Staff are vigilant and respond quickly when they feel that children are showing signs of distress. For example, they are on hand to provide cuddles and reassurance when children are tired. Parents speak highly of the caring and nurturing staff. They value the support and advice which they receive from staff. Parents like the stay-and-play sessions that staff arrange or the activity packs that are sent home. This helps them to understand how they can support their children at home.

Children learn how they can keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, they wash their hands before eating and use a range of tools and materials safely as they play. Staff have high expectations for children's learning. Staff working with toddlers plan activities to help them to listen and concentrate. Children concentrate intently as they pass a bell around the circle without making a noise.

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

• Staff in the nursery generally help children to understand the importance of looking after their teeth. For example, all children receive toothbrushes and toothpaste. Older children learn how to brush their puppet's teeth. This helps them to understand how they can look after their own teeth. Staff talk to the parents about the importance of registering with a dentist and give out clear messages on healthy eating to parents, including healthy packed lunches.
• Staff manage children's behaviour effectively. They give children clear messages about how they expect them to behave. For example, staff working with younger children remind them that they must not climb in the sand tray outside. Staff working with older children talk to them and help them to understand other children's feelings and find solutions as they occur. Children respond quickly and follow the expectations.
• Staff have a strong focus on developing children's literacy skills. They use voices, actions and expressions to bring stories to life. For example, staff working with toddlers read stories with excellent expression. Children quickly settle and listen intently to the story. Babies thoroughly enjoy sitting on staff's knees to look at a book. Other children join in when this is accompanied by singing. This helps children to develop a love of books and rhymes.
• Staff are very caring and attentive. They respond quickly when toddlers are tired or upset. They are on hand to provide cuddles, reassurance and comforters, where necessary. Staff working with babies notice when they are tired and settle them to sleep, stroking their head to help them settle.
• Children in receipt of funding make good progress. The manager acts with integrity to ensure that funding is used effectively to help children catch up in their learning. For example, some children are offered additional sessions to support their development in preparation for school.
• Staff have a strong partnership with parents, overall. They talk to parents on drop off and collection and share information with parents about what children are doing in nursery. However, staff do not gather enough detailed information about children's ongoing interests and fascinations at home to incorporate this into their planning. As a result, some children occasionally lack high levels of engagement in activities.
• The manager provides advice and support to help staff to improve their practice further through focused training and staff meetings. However, she does not ensure that staff understand and consistently implement key messages from training.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff are well supported by an extremely knowledgeable special educational needs coordinator. She has a good working relationship with a range of professionals from health. The special educational needs coordinator goes above and beyond to keep in touch with them, so that children get the help they need. She works with staff to plan targets for children's learning. This helps children to make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• gather more detailed information from parents about children's interests and fascinations at home to help them become highly engaged in their learning
• ensure that staff understand and implement key messages from training and meetings.