Coumes Spring Children's Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and enjoy coming to the nursery. They say goodbye to their parents and carers and engage with staff. Older children start the day with welcome time. Staff encourage older children to count the days of the month on their fingers. They sing a song with actions in Spanish. Children are motivated, interested and engaged. Staff use a register to encourage children to take turns and join in. Children respond and either say, 'Good Morning' or 'Hola'.

Staff have high expectations of children. For instance, they lead a music session with older children. Staff use the keyboard to demonstrate sounds and encourage children to copy the sound, rhythm, tone, depth and length of music notes. Children enthusiastically sing familiar rhymes, use percussion instruments and learn about the structure of music. They develop technical skills and new vocabulary, such as 'deeper' and 'higher'.

Staff sit among younger children as they explore the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Children use puppets and explore the texture of straw and twigs. Staff are animated and enthusiastic. Children repeat words and sounds, and copy facial expressions and as they 'huff' and 'puff'. Babies and younger children play freely. They explore natural resources and real objects, such as pans, goblets, jugs and lentils.

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

• Staff know children well. They find out about children's starting points in development during conversations with parents and in a questionnaire. The key-person system is strong in each room. As a result, children are settled, safe and happy.
• Staff support children's healthy lifestyles throughout the nursery. Children spend time outdoors each day. They learn to wipe their own noses and put tissues in the bin. Staff encourage children to develop their independence and care for themselves. Staff sit with children as they cut fruit and learn to pour their own drinks.
• Overall, staff's interactions with children are good. They are kind, patient and speak clearly. However, during group activities, staff sometimes acknowledge children's interactions without using the opportunity to extend children's learning, such as by asking effective questions.
• Parents speak very highly of the nursery. They say that their children love coming to nursery and settle easily. Parents report that their children make good progress. They know who their child's key person is and know other members of staff.
• Staff share information with parents in daily conversations, at parents' evening and via an online app. Staff identify areas to develop and have recently created a lending library where parents can borrow books and story sacks to share with their children. They spend additional funding wisely to benefit all children. For example, they provide books and props that support children's understanding of feelings and emotions.
• The manager and deputy manager are newly in post and have created a comprehensive action plan. They evaluate what happens in the nursery, and identify strengths and weaknesses. Managers identify and nurture staff's specialisations, including speaking Spanish, music, dancing, singing and storytelling.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They adapt activities so that all children can participate. The special educational needs coordinator develops individual learning plans for children and shares these with parents.
• Managers have developed a good relationship with the local school. They take children to visit to the playground and meet the staff in school. This helps children to have smooth transitions on to school.
• Managers are implementing a new curriculum in collaboration with staff. They inform their planning around children's interests. Staff monitor children's progress through their observations and using an online app. They make sure that they sequence children's learning during activities.
• Staff promote equality and diversity throughout the nursery and embrace cultural festivals. Staff choose books, resources and activities to promote children's understanding of the world. They display photos of different family groups and from different cultures and festivals. Staff talk about cultural capital and giving children experiences that will help them to thrive, including visits to the park and visits from local services such as the police van.
• Leaders are sensitive and gather information from outside agencies to support the well-being of parents and staff. Staff say they feel valued and supported and that they work as a team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen teaching during group activities, such as by responding to children's interactions with questions that extend their learning even further.