Growing Beans Nursery And Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish due to a well-designed curriculum which, overall, engages and challenges them. They are eager to learn and excited to explore the many varied opportunities available at the nursery. Children play together with their friends and staff, engaging in conversations about their play and experiences. This helps them to develop important social and communication skills. Children demonstrate good behaviour and manners. They are happy and settled at the nursery. Children smile, laugh and enjoy their time with staff and their key persons, who focus on supporting their emotional well-being. Staff are kind, patient and attentive. They interact with children in enjoyable and engaging ways. Babies and older children confidently turn to staff for support and reassurance.

Staff promote children's independence by offering consistent praise and age-appropriate responsibilities. For example, older babies learn to find their cups and use spoons during meals, while older children put on their aprons for messy play and learn to pour their drinks. To support children's speech and language skills, staff engage children in conversation during their play. They encourage children to express their ideas and wishes. Staff sing songs and recite rhymes with children. They introduce new vocabulary clearly and concisely. This approach supports all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to make good progress in their communication skills.

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

• Staff engage positively with children and participate in their play to enhance their learning during activities that children choose. For example, children particularly enjoy bathing dolls as they learn about good hygiene practices and use pretend dinosaur feet for painting. However, there are times when staff plan activities without thinking clearly about what children need to learn next. While children are eager to participate, this lack of specific planning means that children do not extend their learning at these times.
• Staff understand children's individual needs and monitor their development effectively. They offer a range of activities for babies and older children, including large-group exercises, such as parachute play. These activities help develop children's motor skills, encourage them to move their bodies to rhythm and enhance their sensory experiences. However, some group activities are not well organised, which can lead some children to disengage. For instance, during a creative art activity, the staff gathered a large group of children to participate. However, many of the children lost interest because their individual needs were not addressed. As a result, they moved on to the next activity and missed out on valuable learning opportunities. Despite this, children are making good progress from their starting points in development.
• Staff help older children to develop their early writing skills. They encourage them to maintain a proper pencil grip and control when using mark-making tools. Staff encourage children to count and discuss sizes as children build with construction blocks, enhancing their mathematical skills. Additionally, children enjoy listening to stories and exploring books independently, which fosters their early reading and writing abilities. Children are eager and motivated to learn. These attitudes prepare them well for their next stage of learning.
• Children learn about healthy living through a range of engaging activities. For instance, they search for toy fruits and vegetables hidden in dough and flour mixtures. These activities also provide an opportunity for children to explore various materials such as flour, sand, water and paint. As children participate in these experiences, they also develop their sensory skills and deepen their understanding of concepts such as colour, shape and texture.
• Parents and carers share positive feedback about the staff and nursery, highlighting that their children are happy to attend. They appreciate the daily conversations with staff and value the range of activities and photos provided regarding their children's learning and development. Furthermore, staff offer guidance on various topics, such as toilet training and feeding, to help parents support their children's learning at home.
• The supervision arrangements for staff are effective. Staff benefit from training on a regular basis. They have a good understanding of how young children learn and frequently participate in training courses. For example, staff have received training in safer sleeping practice, supporting babies and positive behaviour management. As a result, children benefit from the good-quality teaching skills where each staff member contributes to the team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's understanding of how to support children's next steps in learning during planned activities
• review the organisation of group activities more effectively to ensure that children are focused and engaged in their learning.