Claremont Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this warm and welcoming environment. Since the previous inspection, leaders have striven for improvement. They have ensured that staff have a robust knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. As a result, children feel extremely secure. Staff are positive role models and demonstrate to children their high expectations of mutual respect. As a result, children understand how to manage their feelings and emotions, and their behaviour is excellent. Staff support children in being extremely independent and encourage a 'can-do' attitude. Children persevere to solve problems for themselves.

The provision has been revised to maximise children's learning throughout the environment. Children expand their ideas and become fully engrossed in their learning. Staff interact with children and take every opportunity to extend and challenge them in their play. Babies enjoy a rich array of resources and learning opportunities in their calm and nurturing space. As a result, all children make excellent progress at every age and stage of development.

Children have exceptional bonds with the staff and readily share their ideas and learning with them. Leaders ensure that they maximise learning opportunities by including both parents and children in their plans for improvement. Children enjoy a variety of experiences, such as growing vegetables in the 'Jubilee Garden' and exploring in the nearby forest and fields. They delight in learning about nature and the awe and wonder that it provides.

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

• Leaders are thoroughly committed to providing an environment where all children and staff are nurtured and appreciated. There is a highly effective programme of supervisions and team collaboration. For example, staff cascade knowledge from key training and take part in peer-on-peer review sessions. These are designed to ensure that practice is consistently excellent. All staff have a shared vision to provide high-quality care and education for every child.
• Staff carefully consider their tailored curriculum and how children learn about the culture of their own community. This includes grasping children's interests and home experiences and extending learning within their play. For example, children who have recently visited a historical place of interest return excited to share their new knowledge. They are encouraged to construct buildings and sew patterns like those seen in ancient creations, such as tapestries. Children experience what it might feel like to be blind like the character they have learned about by negotiating the room in a blindfold. They become immersed in their play and develop skills across all areas of learning.
• Children make rapid progress in the development of their independence skills. This results in high levels of confidence and exploration. For example, young children experiment with different textures in messy play. They learn to scoop different textures with their spoons, such as mashed potato and baked beans. Staff encourage them to practise the action ready to help them with accurate self-feeding. Older children confidently put on their coats and manage zips. Staff empower children to carry out small tasks and to persevere when faced with difficulty.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive support at the highest level. Staff work superbly with parents and other professionals to ensure an exceptionally secure collaborative approach. Leaders swiftly identify any children who may not be making the best possible progress. Staff are extremely effective in working with parents and other professionals to ensure all children get the high-quality targeted support they need.
• Parents offer the highest praise for staff and managers. They comment on the significant progress their children have made since starting. Parents are invited into the setting for regular sessions to enjoy playing and learning alongside their child. For example, they learn how to share stories effectively and how to ensure children stay safe online. Parents compliment staff on the smooth communication and transition arrangements when their child starts school.