Explorers Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at this welcoming nursery. They show that they feel secure and confident as they play and engage deeply in their self-selected activities. Toddlers enthusiastically explore water and use their imagination as they pretend to make 'tea' in the different size pots and cups. Older children explore and investigate nature as they dig in the garden and delight as they find 'wriggling' worms.

Children have plenty of opportunities to make marks and practise their early writing skills. For instance, they use chalks in the garden and staff encourage children to give meaning to the marks that they make. Older children are proud of their own writing and display their work for all to celebrate.

Children are independent learners. They put on their coats and boots to go outside. At snack time, children peel their fruit and pour their drink. They are encouraged to make decisions, such as what book to listen to at story time and what activities they would like to participate in. Children do things for themselves. This helps them to develop their self-care skills and prepare them for their next stages of learning and move on to school.

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

• Staff plan appropriate activities to support learning, which are based on children's interests. They monitor children's progress and identify any gaps in learning. Generally, staff skilfully implement children's next steps in learning into their chosen play. Children are highly praised for their successes and gain a sense of achievement.
• Children are making good progress, particularly, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have strong bonds with children and understand their needs. When children become a little emotional or are unable to communicate their needs, caring staff comfort them and help them to express what they want. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Staff work closely with external agencies to further support children's development. This helps to close gaps in children's development.
• Communication and language development is given high priority. Staff narrate as children play and clearly emphasise key words in their interactions. They support children to use a range of visual signs to effectively communicate their needs and preferences.
• Children's individuality and achievements are successfully valued and celebrated. Staff provide a rich environment that promotes inclusion and equality. For instance, staff display positive images of children's different cultures and languages spoken at home. This helps to encourage discussion about differences and creates a sense of belonging and inclusion.
• Children generally behave well. They respond positively as staff encourage them to participate in the tidying up. However, staff do not fully support children to develop their listening skills as much as they could. For example, children are excited to contribute to discussions and answer questions. This sometimes results in them speaking loudly over one another or interrupting their peers.
• Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They have regular access to the outdoor space and use this to run, climb, kick balls and use ride-along toys. They manage their coordination as they create their own obstacle challenges and navigate carefully over and across them.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They express positive comments on how well their children are progressing and supported in their learning and care. The staff share information about their children's development at nursery. However, they do not consistently provide ways to support parents in extending their children's next steps and learning at home.
• The manager is enthusiastic and reflects on practice to make improvements. She uses additional funding effectively to support children's learning. The management finds learning that will benefit the whole team and staff are motivated to complete regular individual courses. Staff work well together as a team. This provides a positive environment, where staff are ready to put children at the heart of everything they do.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently develop children's listening and turn-taking skills
• provide parents with ideas and guidance about how they can continue to support their children's next steps and learning at home.