Explorers Collier Row

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted with a warm welcome by the friendly practitioners and manager. They put away their belongings and self-register by finding their name or photo. This gives them a sense of belonging. Older children eagerly enter the nursery ready for their day, and younger children seek familiar adults to help them settle. This demonstrates that they feel safe and secure in their setting.

Children have a positive attitude towards learning and are keen to explore the activities on offer. They respond well to practitioners and share their ideas, which are used to extend their learning and hold their curiosity. For example, during an activity to explore pumpkins, children decide to cut them with wooden spoons. Practitioners let children have a go and encourage them to think about why the wooden spoon does not cut the pumpkin.

Children behave well. They follow the 'golden rules', and they use their manners with adults and their friends. For instance, children say, 'excuse me please,' and wait for a response when adults are in their way. Children of all ages within the big room interact well together. Older children are role models for the younger children. For example, younger children watch how the older children use their cutlery at lunchtime.

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

• All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress well. Practitioners and managers plan and provide a curriculum that is engaging and interesting to all children. They ensure that it is accessible and meets the learning needs of the children.
• Older children enjoy participating in scientific experiments. For example, they investigate what happens when they add vinegar to bicarbonate of soda inside carved pumpkins. Practitioners teach children about chemical reactions. Children are excited to see the reaction as the mixture creates 'fizzy pumpkins'.
• Children are encouraged to be independent throughout the day. For example, children serve their own lunch and choose their own activities. However, children are not always given the tools, such as the correct cutlery, to develop these skills even further.
• Practitioners use techniques such as flash cards, sign language and words in children's home languages to help children to develop their communication and language skills. For instance, during circle time, practitioners sign while reminding the children of the 'golden rules'.
• Practitioners know their key children well. They build on children's learning from their starting points and plan realistic next steps of learning. They use the children's interest, conversations with parents and their own knowledge of the children to support progress in their learning.
• Practitioners support children to understand and express their feelings using resources. For instance, they use books about emotions. Children use colour props to support them to express their feelings, using different colours to represent each feeling.
• The special educational needs coordinator is knowledgeable and has a good understanding of how to identify and support children with SEND. She regularly liaises with other professionals, such as speech therapists and the local authority. She supports practitioners and parents to ensure children make the best possible progress.
• All children have access to positive images that reflect themselves throughout the nursery. Children enjoy using resources such as books and dolls that look like them and their friends, which represent a range of backgrounds and abilities.
• Leaders regularly observe and evaluate the nursery to identify any changes needed. The individual strengths of practitioners are valued and used to support children in specific areas. Leaders are focused on the practitioners' continuous professional development. They have supervision sessions to identify their training needs. This ensures practitioners are able to meet the needs of all children.
• Parents speak very highly of the team and comment on the home-from-home feel. They are happy with the communication and high levels of support they receive. Practitioners value the input from parents and use this to support the children individually. They regularly share ideas to help parents to support their children's learning further at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide the appropriate tools to support children to develop their independence and self-help skills further, especially during mealtimes.