Coteswood House Pre-School and Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show genuine levels of happiness and enjoyment in the nursery. They are motivated to take part in the exciting and engaging activities on offer. A particular favourite activity is exploring capacity and understanding of the world as children make and play with spring-themed play dough. Children use their small-muscle skills to recreate a caterpillar. They recall a butterfly appearing from a cocoon. Children have super imaginations when creating. Staff enable children to use a variety of natural objects to paint. The children use twigs, flowers and tape to produce paintbrushes as they paint during their outdoor play.

Toddlers learn self-care skills when they use cloths to wash their dolls. They explore a real carrot and say 'a carrot' for the first time. Staff show that they are incredibly proud of children's achievements and celebrate these with them. Children benefit from a range of outings, such as visits to the local pet store, flower shop and library. This helps to promote their understanding of the local community. At the end of circle time, children receive a 'kindness sticker' for listening well. They receive lots of praise from staff, helping to raise their self-esteem.

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

• Since the last inspection, the management team has worked closely with the local authority and provided in-house support for staff to address the previous actions. Staff have a secure understanding of what they are teaching and why. They evaluate their practice and often identify where they can improve the implementation of activities. For example, staff recognise when children are losing interest in a storytelling session. They stop reading the book and continue to tell the story from memory while introducing a well-presented hands-on sensory reproduction of the story.
• Children's personal, social and emotional development are at the core of the curriculum. Staff nurture and genuinely care for the children. They provide support for children's emotional well-being. For example, they use a familiar book and props relating to the story 'The Worry Monster' to help children work through any challenges they may experience. This helps children to develop an understanding of their feelings and emotions.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to follow a healthy lifestyle and develop physically during their forest school experiences. Staff captivate children's imaginations outside through good-quality interactions. For instance, children enjoy looking for 'Monty', their resident pretend monster. They are confident and independent as they excitedly dash around the area to collect mud and sticks to paint a picture for Monty. Children use their small and big muscles to create a large-scale muddy picture.
• Children experience a language-rich environment, where their vocabulary develops well. Staff discuss how, during the spring, birds are busy making nests to lay eggs. Children remember this information later in the day when they help to make bird feeders. However, occasionally, staff use too many questions in quick succession and do not give children time to think and respond.
• Staff act as good role models. Most children use good manners spontaneously. When they occasionally forget, staff ask, 'What is the magic word?' Staff lavish praise on children for their kind acts. This helps children to know that staff value them.
• Staff promote children's literacy skills well. They regularly include books in children's play. Staff teach the children new vocabulary when describing books, such as 'author'. Staff link different books with themed activities. This shows children they can gain information from books.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work in partnership with parents to signpost them to the relevant agencies and personalise the help and care they offer to children. As a result, children make good progress.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are strong and promote continuity of care and development. Staff keep parents regularly informed about their children's progress. Staff provide parents with activities and ideas to enhance their children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff interactions so that children can develop their communication skills even further.