Esscroft Private Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and secure in the nursery. Staff are nurturing, professional and very passionate about their work with children. They have the highest expectations for them and meet their individual needs very well. Babies thrive and make very good progress physically and socially. Children who show delay in their learning are quickly identified and supported with individual plans. Older children show high levels of confidence in their own ability. They are keen to join in with experiences, which help them develop the skills they need to start school. For example, at mealtimes they show good levels of independence as they self-serve lunch and carry their plate back to the table. Staff praise children consistently for their positive behaviour. Older children have impeccable manners and young children learn how to be kind to each other during play.

The manager prioritises staff's well-being and effectively supports her team. They work together to drive forward improvements in the nursery and use feedback from parents and children to make changes. For example, the outdoor learning environment has been enhanced to provide a challenging curriculum for children who prefer to learn outside. During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents were unable to come inside the nursery to drop off and collect their children. Staff worked very hard to maintain communication to minimise any negative impact on continuity for children. This helped children to continue to be settled and their individual needs met effectively.

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

• Leadership is a significant strength in the nursery. The manager is highly skilled, knowledgeable and committed to providing children with high standards of care and learning. She has high expectations for every member of staff and supports them in their professional development. For example, she is currently working with the senior team to develop their leadership skills and provide mentoring to newly qualified and unqualified staff.
• The curriculum is balanced, exciting and stimulating for children. Staff know children extremely well and plan experiences, which are based on their interests and developmental needs. Babies are supported to take steady steps and delight when staff celebrate their achievements. Staff focus on building up young children's vocabulary using rhymes and songs in group times. Older children have opportunities to embed their new skills through independent play.
• Children's individual needs are at the heart of all decision-making. For example, although some children are not in receipt of funding, staff provide one-to-one support to help them to make progress and work beyond expectations to support families. This has had a positive impact on children's language and gaps in their development are closing.
• Staff recognise the importance of preparing children for the next stages in their learning, such as starting school. Children in the pre-school room begin to develop mathematical skills, using sparkly pom-poms and number resources. They show excitement as they accurately count the spots and staff sensitively support them to draw numerals in the sand.
• Partnerships with other professionals are highly effective and have a positive impact on children. For instance, staff have close relationships with school teachers in the area. They share information about learning and work together to provide consistency for children. In addition, staff work alongside other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to achieve common targets.
• Parents are extremely positive about the nursery and are keen to leave feedback to contribute towards the inspection. For example, they say the assessment reports 'capture the essence of their child' and staff know them exceptionally well. Others describe the setting as their extended family and feel the staff go 'above and beyond' to help them. Currently, the manager is considering new ways to share children's photos with their families.
• Children have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. For example, staff provide age-appropriate risk assessments for older children in outdoor areas, such as pictures of how many children are safe to play in the tree house. Young children wash their hands independently and begin to use the potty and toilet. Staff ensure children have ample time outdoors in the fresh air. The nursery employs a chef who provides children with tasty, healthy, nutritious meals, which they thoroughly enjoy.
• Staff are excellent role models for children. They show they are passionate about their work with children, consistently showing enthusiasm and genuine care for children. Staff model good manners and gently remind children to use 'kind hands'. Young children begin to learn how to take turns during play and staff sensitively support them when they struggle.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support less-experienced staff to build confidence in their role and raise the quality of their practice
• explore more efficient ways to share children's ongoing photos with their parents, so they continue to receive daily updates and it is less time consuming for managers and staff.