Epsom Methodist Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this nursery, which is at the heart of the community. Staff warmly welcome children as they arrive, which helps them to separate well from their parents. Overall, staff show a good understanding of children's learning needs. They provide a sequenced and well-planned curriculum, ensuring that learning is purposeful and progressive.

Children benefit from a wide range of activities. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests to plan engaging and fun experiences. Outside, younger children enjoy making potions with flowers and different-coloured water. They dig in the soil as they plant herbs or use paint rollers to make patterns on the wall with water. Older children jump across stepping stones and create large three-dimensional structures from blocks, representing 'The Tower of London'. Children are confident in counting and recognising more complex shapes. Staff skilfully help them learn mathematical language, such as 'hexagon' and 'octagon', in their play. This challenges children's thinking, supporting their early mathematical concepts well.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They actively demonstrate respect during interactions by listening attentively to the children and engaging with them thoughtfully. Staff teach children the importance of kindness and caring for others in their play. This helps children to develop their early friendships and positive behaviour.

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

• Staff plan ample opportunities for children to gain increasing control of their gross and fine motor skills. For instance, children practise climbing and jumping as they use a range of equipment. This helps them develop their balance and coordination. Furthermore, children concentrate intently as they use scissors to cut herbs. This helps them to build the muscles in their hands for future writing. Staff use these play opportunities to help children learn to take turns on the equipment. This supports their good behaviour.
• Leaders of this nursery are passionate about providing an inclusive setting for all. They create an ambitious curriculum that supports children's curiosity, independence and understanding of the world. Mostly, staff have a good understanding of what it is they want children to learn and how to plan activities based around these intentions. However, on occasion, some activities are not implemented well enough to build on what younger children already know and can do. This means that some children lose interest and leave activities too quickly, and they do not always benefit from the intended learning.
• Leaders plan regular outings. For example, children visit local shops and play parks. Children also participate in activities that help to promote children's sense of self in the local community, such as visiting the elderly, who share stories with children. This helps children to learn about the community they live in.
• Staff teach children how to keep themselves healthy. For example, children know to wash their hands before mealtimes. Staff talk to children about the different foods and drinks that are good for them and the importance of oral hygiene. This helps to promote children's health and well-being.
• Staff help children to build on their communication and language. They use animated storytelling to captivate children's interest and encourage discussion about the characters' emotions. This helps children to expand their vocabulary further. In addition, older children learn to sound out letters in their names, helping them to develop early literacy skills. However, staff have yet to embed strategies to further support children who speak English as an additional language to develop their speech and understanding more effectively.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted support. Staff work effectively to implement daily interventions. As such, children benefit from this consistent approach and make good progress in their learning and development.
• Staff have developed strong partnerships with parents. They work hard to get to know the family, which helps them to tailor children's care and learning to meet their individual needs. Parents comment on the excellent communication that they receive from the nursery.
• Leaders ensure that staff have regular supervision sessions and opportunities to develop professionally to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff feel well supported and particularly value the strong team culture and the focus on staff's well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to focus their teaching on intentions for children's learning during planned activities so that younger children remain engaged and focused
• strengthen staff practice to further support children who speak English as an additional language and develop their speech and understanding.