Excelsior Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at nursery happy and excited to start their day. They are warmly greeted by their key person and by the manager. Parents share relevant information with staff to ensure children are supported as they move from home to the nursery. Children follow the nursery routines effectively by changing into indoor shoes and putting away their belongings before entering the calm play area. Children who are settling in, and who feel less secure when they arrive, are well supported. They receive warm cuddles from their key person, who talks to them gently and reassuringly to boost their confidence. Staff have high expectations for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know their key children very well. They plan stimulating activities based on the resources the children are interested in, ensuring that they make good progress and are always fully engaged in their learning.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff remind children about sharing and cooperating with their friends. They praise them when they behave appropriately and 'do the right thing'. Children are self-assured and confident when interacting with others. Toddlers independently approach staff, engaging them by showing them their favourite toys. Older children happily discuss their preferred activities and the daily routines of the nursery.

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

• Children are developing a secure understanding of mathematics and numbers. Staff understand how to incorporate the teaching of mathematics into daily routines. They model mathematical words for comparing sizes, such as 'big' and 'small', which children use in their everyday play.
• Staff support children's language and communication skills well. They give clear instructions, ask questions and allow children plenty of time to speak. Older children confidently talk about their thoughts and ideas. Furthermore, staff foster children's interest in books. For example, younger children enjoy looking for pictures of farm animals while staff model the sounds they make.
• Children learn that everyone is unique. The resources available to children reflect the diversity of the nursery and the wider community. Children discuss and begin to understand their own uniqueness. They learn about respect and acceptance for others. As a result, the nursery has developed a culture that encourages children to celebrate diversity while appreciating and valuing each other.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents feel very well informed about their child's progress. Staff work well with parents to prepare children for new experiences in their life. Parents comment how the nursery is managed 'brilliantly' and how staff 'adore' the children who attend.
• Staff feel well supported by managers and comment on how approachable they are. Staff are happy to discuss both personal and work-related issues they are having. They say they receive regular feedback about their practice and have access to training. Staff comment that this supports them to develop their practice with children and enhances the experiences they provide.
• Children's good health is a priority. They are provided with healthy and balanced meals. Children gain good physical skills. The outdoor area is spacious and provides good opportunities for children to develop climbing, balancing and jumping skills. Staff organise challenging games using balls and cones to develop children's coordination skills.
• Staff interact well with children to extend their learning during planned activities. For example, they help children to make marks using different materials to support their early writing skills. However, when children engage in free-play activities, staff do not engage as consistently to extend children's learning. For instance, as children play in the garden and choose their own resources to explore, some staff supervise children rather than engaging with them to further support their learning.
• The manager has a strong vision for the nursery. She has clear plans for a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum with appropriate learning outcomes for children. However, this has not yet been fully embedded. As a result, not all staff are aware of the curriculum intention, and some activities are not pitched at the right level. This means that, at times, some children do not demonstrate high levels of engagement in their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their interactions with children during free-play activities
• strengthen staff's understanding of the curriculum intent so that teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn.