Elmwood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive excited and are greeted pleasantly by staff. They happily separate from their parents and cheerfully hang up their bag on their peg. They find their name card as they self-register. Older children are eager to see their friends who greet them with excitement as they enter the room. Babies are content and develop secure relationships with familiar staff in the room and their key person. As a result, they confidently explore and babble during play. Older children are very curious about who is in the nursery and confidently ask questions about who they are, for example, the inspector.

Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They know them well and use their interests to spark interesting play ideas. Children enjoy the wide range of experiences on offer to them. They particularly enjoy accessing the garden, which has a range of exciting resources and equipment. Older children create their own games as they work together to build structures with large blocks, which inspires their imagination. These opportunities support children's focus and engagement well and broaden their skills.

Staff model being polite and respectful, for example saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Older children are very independent, while younger children are supported to develop these skills.

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

• The manager prioritises staff continuous professional development well. She works effectively with staff to identify a range of training opportunities to help them develop their knowledge and skills. For example, most recently they have complete training with regards to using mathematics in the early years. The manager evaluates the impact of staff training on children's learning.
• Parents are happy with the quality of care and education their children receive. They feel very involved in the nursery, such as being part of the parents committee. They know who to approach for support or to share information. Parents greatly appreciate the daily feedback and updates they receive about their child's day. They highly praise staff for their hard work and say they feel listened to. For example, they suggested that the menu is displayed clearer, so they understand better what their children are eating each day. This was quickly addressed.
• The manager and staff work in close collaboration with a range of external professionals, such as Portage. This helps them to better understand the needs of children with special educational needs and or disabilities. They develop their knowledge and skills to effectively support the children. Staff and professionals work closely together with parents to review and plan to meet the needs of children. They share information about children to help them make the best possible progress.
• The curriculum is planned spontaneously to help children build on what they already know and enhance their interests and skills throughout their nursery journey. For example, babies are supported to build core strength as they become mobile. Toddlers are then encouraged to gain upper body strength as they move about. In turn, older children work on their hand and finger muscles, which supports their mark making, drawing and writing skills, for example, writing their name. This sequential learning means children can control a range of equipment. However, on occasions large group activities are not implemented as well as possible. For example, at times some children find it a little difficult to listen. Others talk over each other as they try to respond to staff questions, which impedes on their learning.
• Children learn how to play safely as they negotiate equipment. Younger children are confident on their feet, while older children learn to climb the tree in the garden and manage apparatus, such as the swing. Children enjoy time in the nursery's allotment, where they learn about 'recycling' and 'compost'. They grow fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, tomatoes and sweetcorn. This support children to learn about healthy eating and lifestyle.
• Staff introduce mathematical concepts in children's play. Younger children learn to match the shapes and pictures on puzzles. Older children competently count, learn about size and match amount with numbers. They work out simple mathematical problems such as if they have five watering cans, how many more they will need to make six.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review large-group activities to help children understand waiting their turn to speak and listen to others to help enhance learning even more.