Early Years And Pre-School Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well and are safe at this good nursery. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders are focusing on supporting children's emotional well-being and are starting to introduce new strategies to support this. Staff get to know children well from the very start, which means that they can build close bonds with them.

Children show positive attitudes towards their learning. They follow their own ideas. For example, during role play, children say that the doll is 'tired' and place it down gently 'to sleep'. They show perseverance and a determination to succeed, for example when lifting and carrying a bucket of water outdoors. They use this to make marks with paintbrushes. Children learn how to look after the plants in the garden area. They show good large-muscle skills and spatial awareness while riding bicycles outdoors. Staff encourage children to develop a good sense of number, for example by modelling counting. Children say that they have two pieces of banana. Babies babble while exploring the different sounds that they can make using musical instruments. They learn how to crawl, and staff support them to take their first steps. Babies stack foam blocks to make towers, and delight when knocking them down.

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

• Leaders are dedicated in providing a 'home-from-home environment' where children receive 'quality education and care'. Detailed and accurate self-evaluation helps leaders to focus on how to continually improve.
• Children, including those with funded places and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. Overall, staff provide a curriculum which builds on children's interests. For example, staff encourage children to develop their imaginations as they dig in the sand and excitedly say that they have 'found treasure!' That said, the implementation of some activities does not always help children to fully engage in their learning.
• Staff prioritise children's communication and language. Children access books throughout the day and can take them home to share with their parents. Staff sing songs and encourage children to use new words. For example, children say that they are 'using more flour' while rolling dough. Staff use words from children's home languages. This helps children who speak English as an additional language to feel valued and to develop a good grasp of English.
• Children learn about the world around them and learn to respect different people. Staff provide children with experiences that they might not already have had. For example, they go on trips to the library, fire station and other places in the community. Children discover different festivals and events. This helps to prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Children learn routines, such as washing their hands before eating nutritious food. However, some staff do not always enable children to do things for themselves. For example, they do not allow children to pour their own drinks, although children want to try. On occasion, some staff hold children's hands rather than teaching them how to use low-level climbing apparatus independently. This holds children back from further improving their confidence, balance and jumping skills. These practices do not fully promote children's personal development.
• Children behave well and are curious about visitors. They play well with each other and staff remind them of expectations, such as having 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'.
• Partnership working is excellent. Leaders work closely with the on-site college, and the provider explains that the nursery is integral to the college's vision. Strong links are made with schools. Staff work with external professionals to get children with SEND the support that they need. Parents report that they could not ask for a better nursery. They praise staff for being caring and getting to know their children as individuals, helping them to 'thrive'.
• Staff work in a close-knit team. They say that they 'love' working at the nursery and that leaders are 'brilliant' in their support. Overall, an effective programme of supervision and training helps staff to continue to improve their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop further the implementation of the curriculum, to strengthen children's engagement in their learning
• support staff to consistently enable children to do things for themselves, to promote children's personal development to a higher level.