Highbury Nursery & Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this warm and welcoming setting. Staff know the children well and develop secure and nurturing relationships with them. They give the children lots of cuddles and reassurance when needed to help them to settle.

Staff support children to be curious. For example, they encourage the children to explore resources as they play with play dough and ice. Staff use their teaching skills effectively to help the children think about what else they could do with the resources. For instance, they extend the children's learning by showing them how the water from the melted ice 'pitter patters' when dripping from their fingers. This supports children's learning and development.

Staff provide children with daily opportunities to develop their physical skills and enjoy the outdoor space. For example, children enjoy running in the field and forest areas and learn how to balance as they walk along the logs.

Staff are good role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. They support the children to resolve any minor conflicts swiftly and teach them how to share. For instance, staff support the children to take turns on the slide. Children display kindness towards their friends. For example, they delight in pushing each other on the small swing. Staff praise them for their efforts, causing them to smile. Children learn how to behave well.

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

• Leaders prioritise staff's well-being, and they have regular supervision meetings to discuss training needs and children's welfare. Staff speak highly about the manager and value the support that they receive. The manager is passionate about and committed to the setting's continuous development. She shares her enthusiasm with the staff and is well supported by the nominated individual. This helps to continually improve the quality of the service that they provide.
• The manager works in partnership with the school, providing children with inclusive care and learning opportunities. She supports staff effectively to implement an ambitious curriculum that gives children a variety of learning experiences. For instance, they take children on trips to local places of interest. Staff target their teaching effectively. They know what skills they want children to learn and what they want to teach next. Staff implement their planned activities well and use their effective interactions to support children to make good progress.
• The manager uses additional funding well to enhance the provision for the children in their care. For example, they have developed a calm and nurturing sensory room. Staff recognise when children may have become overwhelmed and use this space to support them to settle. This supports children's emotional development and their well-being.
• The special educational needs coordinator and manager work closely with parents, staff and other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work in partnership to provide targeted interventions to support children's ongoing progress. This helps to ensure that children with SEND receive consistent support in their learning and development.
• Children's communication and language development are supported well, most of the time. Staff support the children when playing and talk to them about what they have created. For instance, children make shapes with play dough and staff talk to them about the shapes and different sizes. Staff make good use of repetition to ensure that children learn new vocabulary and hear the correct pronunciation of words. For example, children push the dough with their hands and staff say 'push', children then repeat this word. However, at times, staff do not give children enough time to respond to their questions. For instance, they often answer for children or quickly move on to another question. As a result, children do not always have the opportunity to think and respond.
• Staff successfully help children to develop good independence and personal hygiene skills. For example, they teach children how to put their wellington boots and coats on. They give children lots of praise throughout the day, for example when they tidy up. There is a clear routine in place that children know and understand. For instance, children know to wash their hands before mealtimes and after messy activities.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents highly praise the manager and her dedicated team. They say that their children are happy, settled and make good progress. Staff regularly inform parents about their children's learning and development and provide activities to do at home. This helps to extend children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's skills in giving children enough time to think and respond to questions asked, to best support their learning.