Heyhouses C of E Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this well-resourced and welcoming nursery. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, parents drop children off at the side gate, which leads straight to the outdoor play area. Children separate from their carers with ease and are quick to get immersed in play and learning. They have continuous free-flow access to the garden and the resources are within easy reach, allowing them choice.

Children make good progress. Staff undertake regular assessments of children's abilities. They identify the next steps in children's learning and use these to plan ambitious activities which build on what children know and can do. The consistent and well-organised daily routines that children are clearly familiar with, help them to feel safe and secure. Children are gaining great social skills and thrive from friendly interactions. They have warm and affectionate attachments with staff and their friends. Behaviour is good. Clear rules and boundaries are in place which children happily adhere to. They are aware of the 'golden rules' and demonstrate their 'kind hands' and 'listening ears'. Children's independence is encouraged as they learn to manage their own self-care. They use the rolling snack table to enjoy healthy snacks. Children follow the handwashing routines.

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

• Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to develop communication and language skills. They create inviting spaces, such as cosy dens and tepees, to inspire children to talk to others freely and engage in songs and rhymes.
• Staff seize opportunities to extend and develop children's growing vocabulary through general conversation and interactions. For example, they promote 'words of the week' which helps children to extend their spoken vocabulary and improve their sentence structure.
• Children demonstrate that they are confident in their understanding of early mathematical concepts. For example, children are each given a numbered box and encouraged to count the number of items inside and recognise the printed numerals. This supports children to develop the mathematical skills they will need when they start school.
• Children's physical development is well supported. Staff encourage children to take appropriate risks during play, such as climbing monkey bars and balancing on low-level obstacles. Additionally, children learn to move their bodies in different ways as they enjoy multi-sport sessions with an outside provider.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported exceptionally well. Intervention plans are regularly monitored and gaps in learning are targeted with precision. Leaders use funding appropriately to make improvements to the environment, resources and staffing arrangements. As a result, children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children who speak English as additional language are well supported. Staff use various teaching strategies such as picture cards, visual timetables and keywords in their home language to support learning. As a result, children learn new words, developing the skills they need to be confident communicators.
• Leaders have systems in place to ensure children's allergies and dietary requirements are catered for and their safety and well-being is supported. Staff working in the kitchen have an in-depth knowledge of children's allergies and dietary requirements. However, leaders do not always monitor other staff to ensure that they have a thorough awareness of the nursery's allergies and dietary requirements policy and that they understand how to implement it effectively at all times.
• Parents receive advice through newsletters and informative workshops on subjects, such as e-safety and healthy eating. Parents say staff are 'awesome' because they go above and beyond with the care of their children.
• Staff work collaboratively with other professionals and schools to enable smooth transitions for children. They take children to visit the school they will attend which helps them to become familiar with the environment and the teachers.
• Managers and owners truly value staff and implement practical procedures to support staff well-being. Regular supervision meetings focus on staff well-being and workload, and leaders ensure that staff training is targeted. Staff report that they are supported well and feel valued.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance training and monitoring of staff, with particular regard to the nursery's allergy and dietary policy and procedures, to strengthen staff's knowledge and understanding.