Goldilocks Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children very much enjoy coming to this friendly and welcoming setting. They are motivated in their learning and quickly become involved in purposeful play experiences. Children are encouraged to cooperate well together. They take turns and share resources with the support of adults. Consequently, children show respect for each other and the staff who look after them. Children are independent in skills such as serving their own food and washing their own hands. From a very young age, they learn to pour their own drinks and cut their own snacks. This means that when they reach the pre-school stage, these skills are already embedded.

Staff know the children as unique individuals and enhance children's learning on a regular basis. They provide a rich and varied curriculum that is tailored to children's individual needs. For example, staff create opportunities for them to make a 'Christmas soup'. Children enjoy the exploration of the real vegetables provided. They practise pouring and scooping the water and enjoy the sensory experience. Children learn new vocabulary and describe the colours and textures of parsnips, carrots and sprouts. Skilled staff adapt the activity to suit all abilities and ensure that children make the best possible progress.

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

• Managers and staff get to know the families well. They meet children and their families before they join the setting. This helps to establish exactly what the needs of each child are, and helps them to settle quickly. Managers have developed good working relationships with the alternative settings that some children attend, such as specialist provision. They regularly share information about children's learning and development, as well as updates about their family circumstances. This ensures continuity of care and safeguarding between the providers.
• Key persons ensure that they meet all children's individual needs successfully. Staff talk enthusiastically about their progress and achievements. Staff offer highly effective support to children with additional needs, and, with the support of the special educational needs coordinator, they work closely with parents and other agencies to initiate assessment processes.
• The daily routine is generally well planned. Older children enjoy free play and child-led and adult-focused activities. However, during some transitions, the routine is less organised, such as when tidying up or preparing for lunch. On these occasions, some children lose focus and do not always understand what is expected of them. Learning is less effective at these times.
• Children develop good communication and language skills. This is because staff implement this aspect of the curriculum particularly well. Staff sing songs with toddlers and narrate their play. For example, they tell children that they are good at 'mixing and pouring' the rice. Older children confidently recall parts of a film that they enjoy watching. They use words associated with visiting the cinema, such as 'tickets' and 'showing'.
• Children benefit from visits to the local community, such as to borrow books from the nearby library. Staff organise trips on local transport to visit the zoo. Children enjoy experiences that are unfamiliar to their own and learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. This helps children to understand what makes them unique.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Parents state that their children are happy, settle well and build strong relationships with staff. They enjoy attending planned events at the nursery, including craft mornings and afternoon teas. Regular updates on children's progress are shared with parents, including observations that have been made during the day. However, parents feel that they would benefit from being given ideas to extend their children's learning further at home.
• Managers are knowledgeable about early years education. They complete supervision sessions for staff and hold regular team meetings. Managers conduct observations to review the quality of interactions between staff and children. Staff feel that they are well supported in furthering their own professional development. The team work well together to develop ambitious plans for future provision. This means that everyone feels part of the process in striving for improvement.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the routine for older children so that they remain fully engaged and prepared for expected transitions
• strengthen the process for sharing home-learning ideas with parents to support them to build on their children's learning at home.