Growing Together Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the friendly nursery with smiles on their faces. Staff greet them at the door while children find their peg to hang up their belongings. Staff take this time to talk with families and ask how the children are feeling. This means that staff know how to support the children's emotions throughout the day. Staff work hard to ensure that this is a family-centred nursery. Everyone is welcome and valued. This helps children to settle into the nursery and thrive in the environment created.

Leaders create a well-sequenced curriculum around themes such as 'the world' and 'our differences'. They ensure that these experiences reflect children's interests and curiosities by planning exciting learning activities. For example, when children show an interest in worms, staff help them create their own wormery. Children enjoy observing the worm's habitat as they learn about the natural world.

Overall, children are generally well behaved. Staff are positive role models and encourage children to share and take turns. They use visual prompts to help children manage transitions and know what is happening next. When children become upset, staff are quick to intervene. They help them work through their emotions. Children make good progress against their starting points.

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

• Staff interact well with children and encourage them to make choices. For example, children think about how they would like to decorate their own superheroes. They demonstrate critical-thinking skills as they work out how to attach the cape they have cut. Staff ask them how many eyes they are going to add. Children take pride in their work and are eager to show their friends what they have made.
• Lunchtime is a social occasion. Staff sit with children and use this time to help promote independence. For example, staff teach children to pour their yoghurt drinks into a bowl and practise eating with a spoon. Children place dirty cutlery and plates into a washing-up bowl before looking in the mirror to wipe their own faces. Staff promote self-care, and children learn how to do things for themselves.
• Staff make good use of their observations to recognise when children need more support. They work with parents to make quick referrals, ensuring that they receive the help they need. Staff have good strategies for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these are not always applied with consistency to help children that need support to regulate their behaviour.
• Staff plan focused activities every day, which the children call the 'Kitchen Fun
• Club'. Here, staff help children make progress towards their next steps in small groups. For example, staff teach children how to use scissors safely to cut out paper shapes. Staff ask the children questions to spark conversation, allowing children to develop their communication skills.
• Children spend time outdoors in the well-equipped garden. Staff encourage children to work together to use large blocks, ramps and tyres to build an obstacle course. They show great perseverance as they use a small shovel to fill up pots with earth. Children enjoy having time in the fresh air and developing their gross motor skills.
• Each session starts with a welcome time. Staff encourage children to dance and explain that this helps to wake up their bodies. They then greet their friends by signing 'hello'. Throughout the day, children take part in group times where staff organise games and read stories. However, staff do not recognise and respond quickly enough when children become disengaged in these sessions. This means, at times, children lose focus and attention on their learning.
• Parent partnerships are positive. Staff share information with families each day and hold parent consultations every term. Parents say that they look forward to these meetings to discuss their child's progress. Staff give them ideas of activities and games to play to help their child's development further. Parents feel well informed about their child's progress and how they can help at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently use the agreed strategies to encourage children with SEND to regulate their behaviour
• enhance the planning and delivery of large group times so that staff can prioritise their interactions and fully support children's play and learning.