Greyfell Academy

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel safe and secure at this nursery and build positive relationships with the staff who care for them. Children are greeted warmly by staff and other children. They separate from their parents with ease. Children are eager to learn and explore the wide range of activities provided for them. They fill and empty containers in trays filled with sand and flour. They make patterns with their fingers in the flour and plant seeds to grow sunflowers.

Staff have high expectations for all children. They consistently use positive praise to encourage more good behaviour. Children understand and follow the nursery routines. In the pre-school room, children wash their hands before meals without being asked to do so. They tidy up their toys and are learning how to be helpful and kind.

Children benefit from a language rich environment. They take part in whole-group singing sessions organised by the nursery. An outside organisation provides these sessions for all children. Babies sit in a circle as they laugh and clap with excitement when they hear the different songs and watch the actions. Most children sing along and copy the actions. Staff support the youngest children by sitting beside them and doing the actions with them.

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

• Managers have a good understanding of how young children learn. They ensure that an effective key-person system means that children receive education and learning that is tailored to their needs. Staff consider the skills and knowledge children already have and use this to plan a broad curriculum. Children are making good progress across all areas of learning.
• Staff support children to develop a wide range of vocabulary. During an activity exploring a model of the human body, staff introduce complex words, such as 'stethoscope' and 'oesophagus'. Children listen as staff explain that our lungs help us to breathe. Children feel their own hearts and lungs as they breathe in and out.
• Staff ask children questions regularly. They ask children about what they are doing and talk to them about past experiences. However, occasionally, staff ask too many questions, one after another, without giving children time to answer. Questions are often narrow and require 'yes' or 'no' answers. This does not provide children with regular opportunities to solve problems and develop their critical thinking skills.
• Staff support children to develop their knowledge of mathematical language. For example, children count together as they line up to go outdoors. They talk about 'big' and 'small' as they compare different sized containers during water play.
• Children sing number rhymes, such as 'five speckled frogs', and count on their fingers.
• Children enjoy physical play in the vast outdoor spaces. All children have regular opportunities to be active and play outdoors. They enjoy running up and down hills and hopping on logs. Younger children push wheeled toys to help develop their balance. Children are developing a wide range of physical skills.
• Careful consideration is given to support children to develop their independence. Older children set the table ready for lunch and serve themselves. They make choices about what they want to eat and drink. They clear away after lunch and go to their allocated groups ready to learn. Children are well supported to be ready for the next stage in their education as they move on to school.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported by their key person. Staff work in close partnership with parents and outside agencies to ensure they understand children's needs. For example, they hold regular multi-agency meetings and communicate daily with parents. As a result, children with SEND are making good progress.
• Managers provide quality supervision and mentoring for all staff. For example, they hold regular meetings with each staff member to discuss strengths and areas for professional development. This is further enhanced by regular observations of staff teaching completed by managers. Staff are continuously developing their skills and strive for children to receive good quality care and education.
• Partnership with parents is a real strength of the nursery. Parents say that they feel well supported by the staff at the nursery. They say that all staff know their children well and meet their needs consistently. Communication with parents is excellent and parents are kept up to date about what their child is learning at nursery. Staff talk to parents about how they can further help their child to learn at home. This is further supporting children to embed new skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure children are given the time to answer questions being asked of them to enable children to process what is being asked
• consider how questioning skills of staff can be enhanced to provide children with opportunities to problem solve and think critically.