Chiswick Toddlers World Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, relaxed and enjoy their time at the welcoming nursery. They form strong bonds with the staff, who get to know them well. This helps children to feel safe and secure and builds on their confidence in settling into the daily sessions. Staff have high expectations for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They provide a range of activities for the differing interests and ages of children they care for.

Staff plan a broad curriculum that enables children to follow their interests, which develops their knowledge and skills. They ensure the well-thought-out activities enable all children to take part in the different learning opportunities. For example, older children immerse themselves in building the 'Great Wall of China'. They are completely absorbed in what they are doing as they balance large foam bricks and develop their imaginative skills. Children are highly motivated and have an extremely positive attitude to their learning.

Staff are good role models. They use a consistent approach to managing behaviour, which ensures children feel safe, secure and listened to. Children behave well. For example, they listen attentively to instructions when they enthusiastically join in with tidy-up time.

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

• The manager is committed to his role. He understands how children learn and develop. He encourages staff to use children's interests as a guide when planning experiences that are motivating and support children's individual needs. Staff assess children's abilities and use the information to provide activities and opportunities to enhance their learning. Staff comment that leaders are always accessible and are on hand to offer professional advice as needed.
• The curriculum provides children with a rich and diverse range of learning experiences based on themes. For example, children enjoy learning about different countries around the world. They learn about what makes them unique and explore the cultures and beliefs of others. Staff present learning to children in an authentic and meaningful way and, as a result, children are highly engaged.
• Staff support children's communication and language development well. For instance, they read stories and sing nursery rhymes with them. Staff listen to children and use lots of repetition to support their speaking. For example, babies enjoy listening to their favourite stories while staff name and identify the pictures they point to. This helps children develop a love of reading and builds their vocabulary.
• Children know what staff expect of them and they behave well. Staff offer children gentle reminders at times, and children listen and respond to staff positively. Older children are kind and caring towards younger children. For instance, they patiently wait their turn to use the obstacle course in the garden while younger children develop their gross motor skills as they balance across wooden blocks.
• Staff use a range of opportunities to support children in their emerging understanding of mathematics. Staff model counting and use opportunities to extend children's mathematical language. Children excitedly use measuring tapes to measure distance while staff model language such as 'longer than' and introduce the concept of measuring and comparing length.
• The manager has a clear vision and a keenness to drive improvement. He observes staff's practice and provides constructive feedback to improve their knowledge and skills further. Staff say they feel valued and enjoy working at the nursery. The manager is reflective and identifies that some staff are still developing their confidence in their roles and responsibilities. Plans to raise staff's teaching practice even higher are not yet implemented consistently.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They praise staff for establishing positive relationships with children and have daily opportunities to speak with staff about their children's day. However, extending opportunities for parents to gather and share information about their children's learning and experiences is an acknowledged area for further review.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance further the arrangements for the supervision of staff and provide further opportunities for them to extend their personal effectiveness
• extend further opportunities for parent partnership to ensure all parents have opportunities to discuss and share information relevant to their children's care and education.