Future Einsteins College Grove

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive and reach their full potential in this nursery. Staff model for children how they want them to behave. For example, they sensitively help them to manage and deal with conflict and to come up with solutions. They help children to learn to share and take turns. Children are kind to each other. Children demonstrate how skilled they are at this, as they play together and talk together. Some children can be seen comforting each other and even helping each other to manage conflict.

Managers and staff help children to make excellent progress across all areas of learning. They help them to learn how to use equipment safely. For example, they model how to peel and chop vegetables. This is to make vegetable soup. This is repeated so that all children have this opportunity. Staff have a board with the pictures and names of the vegetables, so that, they can reinforce language. The activity is linked to a book that children are reading at the moment, 'Oliver's Vegetables'. Staff praise children for their efforts. Staff help children to make comparisons between the vegetables that they are preparing. They ask them questions such as, 'what do you think'. Children learn concepts such as, the same, bigger and smaller. They save the peelings and say that they are going to use them for compost and in the mud kitchen. Learning is carefully planned to secure children's skills and knowledge.

Staff are attentive to children's needs. They build secure bonds with them and give cuddles and reassurance. They ensure that children understand what is happening during intimate care routines so that, they feel safe and secure.

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

• Staff help children to learn social skills from an early age. They involve children in games that are engaging. They help them to learn to take turns but also develop their fine motor skills. They use fishing rods to catch sea animals. Staff say the names of the animals and the noises that they make and babies copy the sounds.
• Staff get down to children's levels. They lay on the floor with them and engage in two-way interactions. They pass objects back and forth and take their time to say key words and phrases that children are learning. They make eye contact with children. Babies have an strong start to their early education.
• Staff have meaningful, purposeful interactions with children that help them to develop their skills. They sit with them as they build towers and then knock them down. They create anticipation as they say ready steady go. Children develop their confidence and self-esteem.
• Staff support children to have good oral health. They learn about the benefits of tooth brushing and the importance of having a dentist. Children learn how to risk assess and consider their own safety. They learn about emotional resilience and how they can help others. Children are seen reminding each other to be kind and they comfort each other when they are sad.
• Staff read stories to small groups of children. They read with intonation and keep children engaged by involving them in the story. Children are later seen enjoying looking at books on their own and sharing them in small groups. They take their time turning the pages and talking with each other about the stories. They develop a love of books and stories from an early age.
• Strong partnerships with parents contribute towards all children's progress. Parents are well informed about their children's development. Staff support parents to implement strategies at home to support children's language and communication development. Parents say that this contributes towards the progress that their children make.
• Leaders are passionate and extremely knowledgeable. This is clearly shared across the staff team who are all eager to learn and develop. Staff speak of being, 'proud' of the work that they do and give clear examples of how they have made a difference to children's lives. Thoughtful wellbeing support for staff, contributes towards their positive attitudes.
• Training and development for staff is meticulously planned and builds on staff strengths to support gaps in children's learning. Staff undertake 'ambassador' roles. This helps them to thrive and share their strengths and new learning. This in turn contributes to the significant progress that all children make. Leaders share their innovative practice across other settings.
• Leaders use individual funding that they receive for children well. They carefully consider how funds can be used to support children to make even better progress. For example, funding is used to create spaces for children who need a safe space to regulate their emotions.