Corby Priors Hall Park

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at this setting. They wave 'goodbye' to their parents and confidently join the group to select an activity of their choosing. Children are engaged and concentrate on the task in hand. They are excited to join new activities and wait patiently for staff to give them instructions. Children are proud of themselves and celebrate their achievements. When a small group of children work together to build a tower, they share their success with their peers and adults.

Children are independent. Staff encourage them to feed themselves from a young age. As children progress through the nursery, they learn more complex skills. When children begin in the foundation room, they learn to dress themselves and help at mealtimes. They pour their own drinks and tidy away their plates. Children begin to recognise their own needs and communicate them effectively. Outside, children recognise their hands are cold and go to find their gloves.

Children develop a love of books through regularly looking at them and activities based around a range of stories. They use resources to retell the story of the 'Gruffalo'. Babies explore textures in books and listen carefully when an adult reads to them.

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

• The manager has constructed a well-sequenced curriculum that is ambitious for all children. Staff focus on children's personal, social and emotional skills, which build gradually as children move through the nursery. Children make good progress. The foundation room prepares them for school and provides them with the skills they need to succeed in life.
• Staff provide a language-rich environment where they introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to develop language skills. Staff skilfully teach young children new words. When babies explore a tray of snow, they say words and staff repeat them back clearly. Children explore textures and staff introduce new vocabulary such as 'cold', 'squeeze' and 'scoop'. Staff use picture books and objects of reference to support children's understanding. Children's communication skills progress rapidly and they are confident talkers.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive excellent support from staff. Staff work closely with other professionals to develop support plans and identify targeted next steps for children. This means that children are closely monitored and they make good progress. Support plans are shared with parents and children's development is discussed regularly.
• Children demonstrate high levels of engagement during adult-led activities. They ask questions and staff are enthusiastic and maintain children's attention.
• However, staff do not always give them them the same attention during transition times, and sometimes children become disengaged.
• Staff encourage children to think for themselves and experiment. For example, when making play dough, staff ask children to think about what they can add to the sticky dough to improve the consistency. Children respond with different ideas and test these out by adding different ingredients to their bowl. They reflect on what has worked and what they might need to do next. Children extend their thinking skills to find out what happens.
• Staff communicate with parents well and regularly discuss children's progress and development. The setting provides parents with an online app, which is full of ideas and activities to use at home. This supports children's learning at home and provides consistency in their learning experiences.
• The setting provides a range of healthy meals for all children. They talk about healthy and unhealthy foods during mealtimes and learn how to look after their bodies. Staff share recipes with parents to support healthy eating and meal planning at home.
• The management team provide staff with good support. Staff comment that they enjoy working at the setting. There is regular supervision for staff and good support in place for new members of the team during their induction. Training needs are identified and addressed, and this is reflected in the overall practice at the setting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of routines so that children remain engaged during transitions between activities.