EAYC Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff are attentive, kind and very caring. New children at the nursery quickly settle in and demonstrate good self-esteem. Children develop nurturing attachments with staff and build strong social skills and friendships with other children. Staff plan a diverse range of experiences that promote children's learning across all areas of the curriculum. Activities are exciting and challenging, encouraging children to explore their environment while supporting their curiosity and independence. In this stimulating environment, children demonstrate positive attitudes toward learning. Older children are well prepared for school. They are able to focus for extended periods and display good behaviour. This is because staff provide consistent, positive and age-appropriate boundaries for behaviour, ensuring children know what is expected of them.

Staff engage enthusiastically with the children and actively participate in their play. Children enjoy practising making marks with paintbrushes, using their fingers in sand or drawing with chalk outside. Staff communicate with children effectively and model correct word usage to support the development of their communication skills. Staff encourage children to complete tasks independently and praise their achievements, which significantly enhances the children's emotional well-being and confidence. Children show a keen interest in exploring numbers, counting and measurements throughout the day. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding, make good progress from their starting points.

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

• The planning for activities is clear, and the staff understand each learning objective. However, some group activities, such as circle time, are not well organised. At times, staff do not manage these activities effectively, which means that not all children are fully engaged at the highest level. Despite this, the key persons demonstrate a strong understanding of each child's individual needs and interests. They are aware of the next steps each child needs to take to continue to help them make good progress.
• Children delight in singing their favourite songs with actions and readily share books together. They love listening to stories, and the staff effectively capture and maintain their attention. They use story props, vary their vocal expressions and encourage children to look at the pictures and predict what might happen next. This interactive approach not only keeps the children's attention but also ignites their imagination and creativity.
• Messy play activities are frequently organised and enjoyed by all children. These activities support children to explore a range of materials such as soil, paint, coloured rice and dough. Through these experiences, children investigate various textures and enhance their understanding of concepts related to space, size, shape and colour.
• Children thrive on freshly prepared, healthy meals that meet their dietary needs. Good hygiene practices during mealtimes and play support their health. They have regular access to fresh air and exercise in outdoor play areas, with good opportunities to develop physical skills like climbing, riding toys, digging in sand and pouring during water play.
• Staff teach children to learn to be independent. Children have many opportunities to complete small tasks independently. Staff effectively use daily routines to encourage this independence. Children happily tidy up resources, and older children help set up the lunch table. Additionally, older children are capable of dressing themselves to go outdoors and managing their belongings responsibly.
• Staff collaborate closely with other professionals, such as the local authority early years advisor and speech and language therapists. They seek advice and incorporate it into children's learning plans to help them reach their full potential. These effective partnerships enhance the well-being and learning of children with SEND.
• Children learn about equality and diversity through various activities. For example, staff organise community visits. Children learn about donating toys to a charity shop and go to the local library. They also participate in activities related to different religious festivals and use a variety of toys and resources that encourage positive representations of diversity.
• Leaders effectively assess ongoing staff suitability and seek input from staff to support continuous improvement. However, leaders do not consistently encourage parents and children to share their views to further strengthen the self-evaluation process.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review group activities led by adults to ensure they are appropriate for all the children, particularly the younger ones
• develop the self-evaluation process further and include the views of parents and children to help plan for continuous improvement.