Ducklings at St Margaret's

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this inspiring and community-focused nursery. Leaders and staff build excellent links in the community to support children's personal development. For example, staff take children for regular visits to the community centre for older people. Children play games and take part in activities with those who attend the centre. This supports children to build intergenerational friendships. Staff take children to visit the local church and celebrate events, such as the harvest festival. They support children and families to donate to the local food pantry. Staff use these experiences to develop children's understanding of being charitable and caring for others. They support children to take part in performances and they confidently sing in front of others. Children grow their knowledge of the world around them and learn about the positive impact that they can have on others.

Staff provide high-quality interactions to promote children's curiosity and thinking skills. For instance, they encourage children to figure out how they can fit a large piece of paper into a small envelope. Children are fascinated as staff help them to mix powder paint to make new colours. All children show their motivation to play and learn in the interesting and inviting learning environment. Staff encourage children to be 'eco warriors'. They take children litter picking in the local area. Staff support children to develop their understanding of recycling. They support children to take part in bird-watching sessions in the garden. Children make observations of how eggs hatch into chicks. They find out about how caterpillars change into cocoons, and then butterflies. Children learn how to grow and take care of plants and flowers. They show an excellent understanding of the natural world and how to take care of it.

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

• Leaders and staff work with families to help children to learn about each other's faiths and cultures. Children's family members attend the nursery to lead cooking sessions. This supports children to learn about food from other countries. Staff provide further opportunities to extend and deepen children's knowledge of diversity. This promotes children's understanding and respect for the differences that they share with others.
• Leaders have introduced a character to children in the nursery to help staff to lead dance and movement sessions and other experiences, such as juggling and magic shows for children. Staff use these experiences to promote children's imaginations and listening and attention skills in a fun way.
• Staff use their observations of children to identify when they need further support for their learning. They develop close links with the local authority's advisers for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps staff to plan targets and action plans to support children's learning.
• Staff take part in training on how to support children with SEND. Leaders use additional funding to provide children with one-to-one time with staff. This supports children with SEND to continue to make positive achievements towards their next steps in learning.
• Staff explain to children the expectations of their behaviour. They use visual prompts and timetables to support children's understanding of routines. This helps children to know what to expect. As a result, children cooperate with daily routines and follow instructions well.
• Children show a love of stories. They regularly take books to staff to read to them or share books with their friends. These shared stories support children to develop their vocabulary and speaking skills. Some children create their own books and stories, which are proudly displayed in the book area. However, staff have not considered how background noise can distract children during group story-time sessions. On occasion, children's learning at story time is interrupted by other daily tasks, such as getting ready for lunchtime.
• Leaders and staff provide guidance for parents and carers about good practice for sharing books and stories at home. Staff share information with parents about how they can further support their children's communication skills. This helps parents to extend their children's learning at home.
• The knowledgeable leadership team works alongside staff to provide on-the-spot coaching and feedback. This helps to promote staff's confidence in their interactions with children. Leaders encourage and support staff to achieve higher level childcare qualifications. Consequently, staff's skills and knowledge continue to improve. This results in consistently good levels of support for children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation and delivery of story-time sessions, to reduce the impact of background noise and minimise any interruptions to children's learning.