Glen Jakes Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this warm, inclusive nursery. Although their experiences are slightly different, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children show that they are happy. They part from their parents with ease at the entrance, holding their arms out to cuddle their key person. Staff get to know children well, during the initial settling-in period and throughout their time at the nursery. This helps children to feel safe and be ready to learn.

Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. They choose the activities that they would like to complete. Babies develop their physical skills by pulling themselves up and taking their first steps. They excitedly explore the marks that they can make with paint using their hands. Toddlers investigate the sounds that musical instruments make and delight while exploring the texture of shaving foam. Older children develop their small-muscle skills as they make detailed models of vehicles and robots with small construction blocks. They practise their counting skills and learn to recognise their own names. Outdoors, children show good physical skills while they climb up to the slide and throw balls. They develop their coordination and spatial awareness as they use bicycles and walk across low-level apparatus.

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

• Leaders' vision is to provide a 'welcoming and caring environment where children have fun learning'. Self-evaluation includes the views of children, parents and staff. This helps leaders to reflect on how to improve the nursery.
• Staff provide children with a curriculum that builds on children's interests and their existing knowledge. For example, children show an interest in a story about chocolate mousse. Staff extend this by allowing them to make 'chocolate cakes' by mixing chocolate and play dough. Children count out pipe cleaners to represent 'birthday candles'.
• Children are ready for their next stage in learning, including school. Staff help children who speak English as an additional language to gain a good grasp of English by using key words in children's home languages. The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff work with parents and external professionals to close gaps in learning.
• Overall, staff promote children's communication and language skills. Children enjoy listening to stories, singing songs and learning new words. However, some of the questions that staff ask children do not challenge their thinking skills. In addition, staff do not always model words or letter sounds correctly. This means that staff's interactions are not fully effective in promoting children's communication, language and thinking skills.
• Care practices are good. Staff encourage children to be independent, for example by putting on their own coats and serving their own food. Babies learn to eat using cutlery, and older children enjoy setting the table for lunchtime. Children learn that healthy eating and good hygiene practices help to promote their good health.
• Children show good behaviour. They understand staff's expectations and follow instructions well. For example, children help to tidy up and demonstrate kindness. Babies are curious about the inspector and giggle to gain his attention. Older children are confident to talk. For example, they tell the inspector that they want to be a police officer when they are older.
• Leaders understand the importance of partnership working and have established good links with schools. Parents say that the nursery is 'family orientated' and that children come first. They are pleased with the progress that their children make. However, parents report that staff do not provide them with enough information to help them to support and extend their children's learning at home.
• Staff work in a close-knit and positive team. They say that the nursery is the 'best place' that they have worked. That said, the programme of coaching and professional development that leaders provide for staff is not precise. It does not sharply focus on helping staff to further develop their skills and knowledge, to raise the quality of education to a higher level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine the curriculum for communication and language, to fully promote children's communication, language and thinking skills
• strengthen partnership working with parents, to help parents better support and extend their children's learning at home
• enhance the programme of coaching and professional development for staff, to further develop their skills and knowledge, and raise the quality of education to a higher level.