Early Learners Nursery (Eccleston) Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from the friendly and caring staff at the nursery. They meet their key person on arrival and quickly engage in play and learning. Staff provide a nurturing environment for children. They establish key information about children's interests and individual needs. This helps staff support children's emotional well-being. The nursery provides a broad curriculum designed to support all children's needs. For example, younger children enjoy investigating sensory materials as they rummage through and feel the texture of tissue paper, porridge and shaving foam.

Staff recognise the importance of helping children to learn about sharing and turn-taking from a young age. Staff model good manners and remind children about friendly behaviours such as being patient and kind. This encourages children to develop their social skills and learn about boundaries and rules. Children are developing good levels of independence. For example, during lunchtime, older children carefully serve their own food, pour their water and use their cutlery to eat their lunch. Younger children learn to feed themselves. Children learn about the things that contribute to a healthy lifestyle, such as exercise, eating a balanced diet and looking after their teeth.

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

• Staff plan many opportunities for all children to develop their physical skills. Children develop their hand-eye coordination as they scoop water into containers and push it out through large syringes. They develop strength and spatial awareness as they climb or navigate around the garden on bikes. Staff support the youngest children to pull themselves up into a standing position and take their first steps. Children make good progress in their physical skills.
• Before lunch, older children gather in a circle to read and take part in a phonics session, building on their prior knowledge of sounds. However, due to the noise level in the room from other children's routines, children become distracted and lose focus on their learning. As a result, they do not fully benefit from the well-thought-out intention of the session.
• Staff support children's mathematical development very well. They use mathematical language throughout the day. For example, staff teach children to touch count and talk about how many of an object they have. Older children begin to recognise larger numbers in the environment as they play. This helps children to understand early mathematical concepts.
• Staff support children well in their personal, social and emotional development. They explain to children how to wait patiently, take turns and be respectful. For instance, when children line up to go outside, they calmly and safely follow staff instructions. Staff help children navigate disagreements with peers by teaching them how to resolve conflicts themselves. For example, when multiple children want the same resources, children locate more of these and share them with their friends. Learning these social skills helps children form positive relationships with their peers.
• Leaders ensure that the key-person system meets children's individual needs. Staff have a good understanding of the progress that their key children have made and the next steps in their learning and development. This information is shared with parents, alongside regular feedback. Staff and leaders build very positive partnerships with parents and organise opportunities to participate in workshops and events. This helps to develop parents' understanding of what their children do in nursery.
• All children benefit from storytelling sessions that are age-appropriate and promote their learning. Each room shares an ethos of loving books and enabling children to learn stories well. Furthermore, children enjoy choosing books independently. This supports their literacy development.
• Staff provide children with a wealth of opportunities to learn about the world around them. Children visit a senior care home to play games and do various activities alongside the elderly, building intergenerational relationships. Children also learn about important jobs in the community and the people who do them. Staff take children out for walks to nearby green spaces to enhance their understanding of their local community. The nursery prides itself on belonging to the local area.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the organisation of activities and staff deployment to ensure a high standard of learning is provided for all children, throughout the day.