Focus Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have positive relationships with staff and their friends. They play cooperatively. Younger children learn to take turns when staff ask them at group times to find their names on a board. Older children are keen to take part and are confident to stand up in front of others to identify their name.

Children show a willingness to help staff. For instance, when routines of the day change, children thrive on the responsibility of helping to tidy up and wash the dishes. Children receive support from staff to learn new skills, such as how to use scissors. They listen and follow instructions when staff ask them to open and shut the scissors.

Children demonstrate their natural curiosity as they explore flour and water during sensory play. They manipulate their fingers, whisks and spoons to mix the ingredients together. Children develop their smaller hand muscles in preparation for writing.

Although parents do not currently come into the setting, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff greet each child individually at the door and share information with parents verbally and through an app. This helps to ensure that parents feel fully involved in their children's learning.

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

• The manager has secure knowledge and intentions of what she wants children to learn and achieve. She strives to provide children with the skills they need to flourish in their lives. Staff give children choices throughout the day and respect their wishes. They intend for children to build their vocabulary. For example, when children take an interest in pirates, staff introduce words such as 'canons', 'sails', 'engines' and 'anchor'.
• The manager prioritises the development of children's communication skills. The management team regularly introduces new initiatives which have a positive impact to help develop children's talking skills. Staff identify any speech and language concerns they may have about children and intervene effectively.
• Children enjoy stories. Staff read books with good expression. Parents develop a secure understanding of the importance of books in their children's learning. Children can take books home to share with their parents in book bags provided by the setting.
• Children are often encouraged to be independent. They learn to put their own coats on. At snack times, older children serve themselves confidently. Staff teach children how to use the cutlery consistently. Children spread butter on toast and chop their own banana and cucumber.
• Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. They take part in physical activities both indoors and outdoors. For instance, children enjoy balancing on wooden beams, splashing in puddles and dancing to music as part of their daily activities.
• The manager and the deputy manager value the contribution of all their staff. They are enthusiastic and highly motivated. Some of the staff are relatively new and still developing their teaching skills. Senior staff lead by example and support the less experienced staff's professional development well. However, at times, staff do not challenge children sufficiently, especially the most able, to help them make the rapid progress they are capable of. Sometimes staff do not ask questions that help children to develop their critical thinking skills and extend their learning further.
• Partnerships with parents are a strength of the nursery. Staff work hard to ensure that communication with parents has not been affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents speak very highly of the staff and the manager. They comment that the 'nursery is fantastic at keeping parents up to date' and that their children 'are prepared for school'.
• Staff build good relationships with other settings that the children attend. They exchange information regularly, to provide continuity in care and learning. A childminder comments that they have a 'fantastic working relationship'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to ask questions consistently that encourage children to think and discuss their ideas and understanding, to extend their learning further.