Fountain Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children who attend Fountain Nursery come from diverse backgrounds and some speak or understand other languages. They and their families receive a very warm welcome from staff as they arrive for the day. Children who need some reassurance receive plenty of cuddles and attention. This helps children to settle quickly with their friends. Children move confidently around the learning environments, which shows that they are happy and feel safe. The close relationships between children and staff help children to behave well.

Children respond positively to staff's high expectations for their learning. Younger children are beginning to take turns and share their toys. Older children are learning to manage their feelings and to understand how these can have an impact on other people. Children have access to a variety of stimulating and age-appropriate resources, which are easily accessible to them. This motivates children to learn and play. For example, babies show their curiosity as they explore wooden rings and building blocks with staff. Toddlers investigate fabrics and find interesting ways to use them in their play. Dressing up is a popular activity with the older children. They enjoy using superhero and princess costumes to assist their creativity and imagination.

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

• The provider and the manager are ambitious and committed to improving all aspects of the nursery. Together, they work effectively to evaluate the strengths and identify areas for development. For example, they have reviewed the way that staff observe and monitor children's learning. This has enabled staff to plan an ambitious and rich curriculum for the children.
• Staff are happy with the support they receive from the manager. They have opportunities to develop their knowledge and teaching skills. For instance, following training, staff have increased their confidence in managing children's good behaviour.
• Staff organise a range of cultural and religious events, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. They also celebrate gender diversity events to teach children about similarities and differences between people. Children are developing a good sense of community and respect for others.
• Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. For example, they use gestures and facial expressions when interacting with the children. All children have lots of fun as they listen to nursery stories and sing songs. However, during group activities, some staff members do not use questioning to best effect. This does not fully extend children's ideas and thinking skills, particularly the older ones.
• Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress in their learning. For instance, children gain strong levels of physical skills, which they demonstrate while catching and kicking balls outdoors. In addition, they use their growing social skills to interact well with their peers and adults.
• Staff are successful in promoting children's early mathematical skills. For example, they help children to count and introduce concepts such as 'higher' and 'taller'. This adds to children's enjoyment and motivates them to 'make the biggest tower ever'. Babies and toddlers build their counting skills in an enjoyable way when singing number songs.
• Staff engage children in play and conversation. However, at times, they do not monitor the noise levels indoors as effectively as possible. As a result, some children find it hard to concentrate on their learning.
• Children develop strong self-help and independence skills. For example, older children take responsibility for their personal hygiene and learn the importance of washing their hands after using the toilet. This helps to minimise the spread of infectious illnesses.
• Parents speak highly of the service they and their children receive. They describe staff as very 'warm and nurturing'. Parents appreciate the regular information staff share with them about their children's learning. This strong partnership has positive benefits for children's learning and well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's knowledge of how to use questioning to extend children's ideas and thinking skills, particularly the older ones
• help staff to monitor and manage the noise levels indoors to help children to concentrate on their learning.