Gogmore Lane Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Very young babies and toddlers receive strong support and care from staff that know them and their families really well. All children appear happy, safe and secure in the care of their key adults. Even the very youngest children show that they are confident and familiar with the routines and expectations of the setting. For example, babies are delighted to see the weekly musical dance teacher arrive. They immediately go and sit ready on the carpet for the welcome song and wait their turn to hand back the instruments.

Children are taught to develop a strong sense of self-worth. They learn to recognise and celebrate the similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, they have mirrors and pictures of each other's eyes displayed on the wall, and they try to recognise whose belong to who in the group. They enjoy learning about the different types of homes they all live in and who lives at home with them. Uniquely, the setting has two dogs that compliment the staff team. The dogs are fully trained and regularly visit. This helps the children to learn about how to care for and respect the feelings of others and to be kind and gentle at the setting.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities(SEND) is effective. Staff work with parents to share and regularly review all children's learning and development. This helps support all children to make good progress.

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

• Leaders have created a carefully sequenced curriculum that is based around the unique needs of the children and their families. For example, they use their knowledge of children's prior experiences and housing circumstances to plan for their learning. They provide children that do not have access to gardens, or have restrictions on keeping pets, with opportunities to experience these on a regular basis and benefit from filling these gaps in their knowledge.
• Staff understand the importance of stories, rhymes and songs in extending children's vocabulary and knowledge. However, at times, children in pre-school are not given enough time to think about and respond to questions they have been posed by staff before being asked another question or given the answer. This does not allow children the time to put into practice or demonstrate newly learned knowledge and vocabulary.
• Staff provide children with ample opportunities to be physically active, and they enjoy going outside each day. Babies are encouraged to be independent in their feeding and enjoy engaging in risk-taking play as they curiously explore their environment, such as crawling through cupboards and under furniture, under the close supervision of staff. This helps build their motor and coordination skills as well as developing their growing self-confidence and sense of adventure.
• Staff act as good role models for children in all their interactions. They consistently reinforce good manners and remind children what is expected of their behaviour. Children are kind and considerate towards their friends. They share resources and take turns. It is important for the provider that all children grow to be good citizens with a secure understanding of how to make and keep friendships.
• Leaders make effective use of evaluation and feedback to constantly develop and improve the quality of the provision. Staff feel really well supported by leaders and talk about the inclusive and constructive culture when receiving feedback regarding their personal practice. Leaders support all staff to develop and continually keep their knowledge and skills up to date.
• The provider has effective systems in place for sharing information with parents relating to their children's learning and development. Parents are able to share the good progress that their children make, including those children that are relatively new to the setting. For example, parents have seen a noticeable improvement in their children's social and independence skills.
• Staff with designated responsibilities, such as safeguarding and SEND, work tirelessly with other professionals and agencies to ensure that, wherever possible, vulnerable and disadvantaged children access the support and resources they require. Leaders work in partnership with parents and children's key persons to plan the most effective and appropriate use of any additional resources.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide children with more opportunities, allowing them time to reflect and respond to questions and practise newly learnt vocabulary in their play, particularly in the pre-school room.