Frecheville Children's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well on arrival. They enjoy their time at nursery and have fun as they become absorbed in the activities, indoors and outdoors. Children form positive relationships with staff and each other. Children show consideration towards each other and form strong friendships. They are confident, well behaved and polite. They happily share and take turns when making dough. Children benefit from the rich and varied activities on offer and make good progress in their learning and development.

Children's individual needs are known by staff. Babies happily join in with drawing pictures and rolling flashing balls. Two-year-old children use a range of vocabulary to discuss sand and green crabs on the beach. Pre-school children confidently hold more complex conversations. They discuss what they need to build the nursery and extend this play into making beach houses. This promotes good speaking skills and helps children to become confident communicators.

Literacy development is well promoted. Children develop a genuine love of books. They discuss familiar stories; talk about the characters they remember and make links between different books they have read. Staff read with enthusiasm and excitement. Older children learn to share their own thoughts and opinions about what might happen next.

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

• Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the different ways that children learn. They provide a curriculum that is balanced, varied and inclusive. They understand the importance of sequential learning and building on what children already know and can do. Staff provide challenging activities for children based upon their individual interests.
• The key-person system is effective. Personalised settling-in sessions help staff to get to know children and families well from the start. Children form strong bonds with staff and enjoy the sensitive interactions they experience. Staff are kind and nurturing. This helps children to feel safe, secure, and valued.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work closely with parents and other agencies to support children's progress and understand the needs of individual children. This ensures that children's needs are well planned for and that early help is identified, where necessary, to close the gaps in their development.
• Children's health and well-being are supported effectively. Children enjoy healthy breakfasts and meals. They are given appropriately sized portions of food for their age and can have second helpings if they wish. Children are offered water to drink. Children are developing independence and personal hygiene skills. They put their own coats on before going outside and wash their hands before eating.
• Staff provide good narratives during children's play. They talk to children about what they are doing, use descriptive language and repeat key words to reinforce children's understanding. However, in the toddler room some staff ask questions and then answer them themselves. This means that younger children do not always have time to think and respond to share their ideas.
• The relatively new manager is supported to carry out her role and responsibilities by the dedicated provider and the local authority. There are action plans in place to improve the outside areas even further. The baby room has recently moved into the main building in order to create a covered outdoor area. The staff team are enthusiastic and work hard to provide good learning opportunities and experiences for children. However, the process of carrying out supervision meetings for all staff needs to be strengthened to further improve their practice.
• Staff have formed good partnerships with parents. Parents comment on how well their child has settled into the provision and the range of activities on offer when they arrive. They receive a variety of information via the nursery's online service and have daily discussions with their child's key person. This enables parents to continue children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their teaching skills, so that they consistently use skilful questioning techniques
• strengthen arrangements for the supervision of staff to improve staff practice further.