Freshfields Nursery School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children swiftly settle on arrival at the nursery. They benefit from warm and caring relationships with all staff. Children's emotional needs are well met, which helps them to feel safe and secure.

Children are eager to learn and remain busy throughout their day. Older children develop the muscles in their hands as they manipulate dough or use pipettes to transport different-coloured water into tubes. They explore what happens when they mix different colours. Children relish their time outdoors. Staff take them to visit the on-site animals and provide ample learning opportunities outdoors. Babies and young children learn to balance and climb, and enjoy scooping gloop with a range of tools and build with blocks. This, in addition to providing opportunities to crawl and stand, helps to promote their physical skills and control.

Staff introduce children to sign language from a young age, which they use with increasing skill. Babies use this to communicate that they would like more fruit, and to say 'thank you'. This helps children express their needs before they can speak in words. Children's communication and language skills are further promoted by staff, who give a running commentary while they play and introduce new words. This exposes children to rich vocabulary from a young age.

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

• The manager is extremely passionate about the ethos of the nursery and providing children with high-quality care and education. Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have used self-evaluation effectively to address weaknesses previously identified. They have successfully engaged with staff and parents to make significant and sustainable improvements to the quality of provision.
• The manager has high ambitions for children's learning. The broad curriculum for children is well-sequenced and intends to give children knowledge and skills in preparation for the next stage in their learning. However, some aspects of this are not yet fully embedded in staff's teaching and practice. For example, the curriculum aims for children to gain high levels of independence. On occasion, staff complete tasks too quickly for children without giving them the opportunity to do things for themselves.
• Children benefit from a well established key-person system. Staff get to know each child and their families really well, with much sharing of information taking place to ensure consistency for each child. Parents contribute to initial assessments of children's learning when they start at the setting. Staff use this information to plan activities and experiences that will interest children and support their learning.
• Children behave well throughout the nursery. They learn how to share and take turns when joining in with activities. For example, children take turns to hide vegetables in the outdoor area. They guide their friends using prompting words to help find them. They then celebrate each other's achievements.
• Children develop an early love for reading. Staff frequently share stories with children, who listen with interest. Children join in with repeating key phrases from books they know. During quieter times, children choose books they want to look at. They handle books with care and turn pages gently.
• There is a designated coordinator to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with children, their parents and other agencies to provide tailored support for children who attend. Plans are in place to guide children's learning. The coordinator attends meetings with other professionals to help inform children's learning and support them with a smooth transition to school.
• Staff receive a detailed induction programme when they start their role to help them to understand what is expected from them. Managers give priority to staff's well-being and staff comment that they feel well supported in their role. Managers have recently implemented new arrangements for the supervision of staff. However, this is not yet fully embedded to raise the quality of teaching consistently to the highest level.
• Partnerships with parents are strong and ensure children's needs are well met. The managers and staff are readily available to parents, with key persons sharing important information with them each day about children's welfare. An online app is also used well to inform parents of what children have enjoyed doing, and how well children are progressing in their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed the arrangements for the supervision of staff to achieve greater oversight of the quality of teaching and practice
• explore ways to implement all aspects of the curriculum to consistently challenge children's learning.