Cranbrook Independent Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted warmly by their key person and enter the provision happily. They enjoy a good range of activities, indoors and out. Children show high levels of well-being and develop good bonds with their key person. Babies confidently explore their environment and seek out staff for a cuddle. Children choose the activities that interest them and benefit from the encouragement and support from staff. Children behave well and are encouraged to be independent. For example, children as young as 16 months use big spoons to serve their lunch.

Children learn to respect each other and develop good social skills. For instance, the children in the pre-school room understand the idea of taking turns while their friend is being helped by a member of staff. Children who speak English as an additional language, and those with identified speech and language needs, are supported well. The use of props helps them understand and communicate their needs. Overall, children are good communicators. Older children engage in meaningful conversations and staff effectively use language to extend children's vocabulary. For example, at lunch time they talk about the importance of eating healthy food and children use good language to explain why eating vegetables is good for their body. The good progress that children make supports them to move to the next stage of their learning.

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

• Leadership and management are good. The manager reflects well on the quality of practice and is constantly looking at ways to improve. There are effective arrangements to support the professional development and well-being of staff. The manager carries out regular supervisions and one-to-one meetings and staff are highly motivated.
• Staff know their children well and plan effectively to support their development and learning. Staff follow the interests of children, providing activities that engage and challenge them. Children's independence is supported across the provision, for example during meal times. Children's attitude to learning is good, they know and understand the rules, take turns and share experiences and ideas with children and staff.
• Overall, staff competently support children's communication and language. Those working with the older children continuously talk to them and engage them in meaningful conversations. Staff listen well to children and recognise opportunities to expand their language and vocabulary, such as when children recall recent activities they have enjoyed, Staff in the baby room are affectionate and respond well to non-verbal cues, such as recognising when a child is becoming tired. However, at times, staff working with the toddlers do not pick up on the signals of the children who are not yet talking. For example, they did not recognise that a child wanted to go outside, and, therefore, did not acknowledge the child's attempt to communicate.
• Partnership with parents is effective. Parents comment that they are kept informed of their children's progress and their day-to-day activities. Parent's views are taken into account and staff work closely with them to find out about children's interests, personalities and preferences.
• Staff are sensitive to children's emotional well-being when they first join and when they move between rooms. Settling-in processes are robust throughout the provision, particularly for babies. Staff encourage good behaviour through explanation and gentle reminders. They offer a lot praise for children throughout the day.
• Group times for babies and pre-school children are positive experiences that are used well to promote children's learning. However, the organisation of group activities for children in the toddler room is not as effective. Staff do not recognise when children have lost interest and are struggling to concentrate.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to more consistently recognise when children who are not yet speaking are indicating what they would like to do
• review the organisation of group times that include the younger children to more fully reflect their development levels.