Granby House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff place a good focus on supporting all children's early communication and literacy development. For example, staff have a selection of well-chosen picture books that they read repeatedly to children. Children become familiar with the stories and characters, and they learn new language. For instance, toddlers learn words such as swish, squelch and squash as staff read to them. Pre-school children recall how a snake appears in the book 'The Gruffalo' as they make snake-shaped objects from dough. Staff help children to increase their vocabulary and develop a love of reading.

Children enjoy outdoor play. Babies bang and tap pans and drums with her fingers and hands. They climb the slide with support from staff. Staff provide space for babies to experience time on their stomach. This gives babies an opportunity to strengthen their neck, shoulders and arm muscles in preparation for sitting, crawling and walking. Staff consider children's physical development well.

Staff consider the essential skills children will need for the wider social network of school. They have introduced 'golden rules' in the nursery. Children know to use 'kind hands' and 'kind feet'. Pre-school children line up to come inside after outdoor play and walk, because this is safe. Children learn about feelings and emotions, such as happiness and sadness. They behave well and have a positive attitude to their play and learning.

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

• Leaders and staff provide a broad and varied curriculum for children. During adult-led activities, staff in the pre-school and toddler room listen to children's interests and thoughts. They respond appropriately to encourage further conversation. Leaders recognise how these good-quality interactions support children's communication skills and enthusiasm to join in the play. However, occasionally, staff do not always hone back in to specifically focus children's attention on the intended learning aims to consistently build on what they already know and can do.
• Babies enjoy nursery rhyme books that play music. Staff sing along to the music. They show babies the different animals in the book. Staff make sounds such as 'snap' and show this action with her hands. Staff support interactive storytelling and babies' early language development well.
• Pre-school children enjoy play with dough. They make pretend cakes and place small sticks in the dough to represent candles. Some children know they have four candles without the need to count. Children use rolling pins to flatten the dough. They roll the dough in their hands to make a shape like a sausage. Staff support children to compare size. They introduce mathematical words, such as tall, big and bigger, and long and longer. Staff support children's small muscle development for later writing and understanding of size well.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those on the pathway to diagnosis well. Individualised educational plans are in place. Staff work with parents, professionals and teachers to support children's move on to school. They use signs, actions and words to help all children understand their communication. Funding is used well to meet children's individual needs.
• All children have a key person who helps them to form secure attachments and promote their well-being. Staff offer settling-in sessions, and they liaise with parents and grandparents about children's interests and individual needs. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their care. However, leaders do not always consider the organisation of staff during times of transition, such as when new children arrive and mealtimes. This means that some babies' and toddlers' learning is interrupted as staff support children who do not know them as well as their key person.
• Leaders undertake secure vetting and recruitment procedures. They acknowledge that there has been a high turnover of staff. However, there is now a settled team that is committed to providing good-quality provision for all children. Staff express how they are happy in the work place and feel that their well-being is considered by leaders. Leaders are reflective and work with the staff to model good practice. Staff benefit from team meetings, supervision sessions and training opportunities. However, systems used for the coaching and mentoring of staff practice to further strengthen and raise the quality of interactions to the highest level are still in their infancy.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff during adult-led activities to focus more precisely on the intended learning aims to raise the quality of education to a higher level
• consider the organisation of staff during times of transition to continue to meet babies' and toddlers' individual learning needs
• continue to coach and mentor staff so that the quality of practice continues to build over time to benefit all children.