Holland Park Pre-Prep and Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled in this warm and welcoming nursery. They develop affectionate relationships, enthusiastically greet their key persons and immediately begin to explore the activities in the room. Staff have high expectations of what all children can achieve. Staff are warm and responsive. They soothe and cuddle those in need of comfort, and babies smile and make sounds as they see their familiar adult. Children like to do things for themselves and demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They self-register, recognising their names and photos, learn to dress themselves and hang their coats on their peg. There is a wide variety of good resources, and children are inquisitive learners. They explore the environment, choose their own play with confidence and persevere with tasks.

Children behave well and develop strong friendships. They play cooperatively as they take turns to be the doctor in the role-play hospital. Children relish playing in the outdoor space that is wonderfully arranged, providing children with numerous opportunities to extend their imagination. They spend considerable amounts of time in the tree house and happily include staff in their role play. Children use wheeled toys, jump, balance and kick and throw balls. Children enjoy yoga, dance, music and Spanish classes provided by specialist teachers weekly.

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

• The manager demonstrates a passionate commitment to the staff team and the children and families that use the nursery. He has a clear understanding of what he wants the children to learn. Staff implement the curriculum and sequence children's learning well. For example, staff provide many opportunities for children to strengthen their small muscles through messy play and mark-making activities. Children learn to cut with scissors and develop good pencil control.
• Staff receive regular training to ensure they are meeting the needs of all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language are well supported by their key person. Staff identify any difficulties early on. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children have highly effective targeted plans in place. Parents know their children's targets and feel their children are fully prepared for their next stage in learning, including starting school.
• Staff are positive role models for the children. They praise them regularly and treat them with respect, which helps to create a loving and warm environment. Children gain an awareness of differences within the wider world. For example, they learn about different cultures and celebrate several festivals from around the world.
• Communication and language learning is a key focus. Staff spend lots of time talking to the children. They introduce new words and model their correct usage.
• Every opportunity is used to develop the children's vocabulary. For example, while babies are being changed, staff sing songs and rhymes to them, encouraging them to join in.
• Children develop a love for books. Babies explore 'touch and feel' books with interest and enjoy staff reading books about animals. Toddlers are beginning to recognise letters. For example, they learn that the word 'bear' starts with a 'b'. Older children like to explore books independently and often ask staff to read books that they have chosen.
• Staff provide children with a good range of interesting adult-led and child-initiated activities throughout the nursery. For example, during a science activity, children count the number of olive and sunflower seeds they will plant to grow. They begin to recognise numbers. However, sometimes, staff do not consistently make the most of opportunities during play to help children with number bonds and mathematical language.
• Staff support children to develop good health and well-being. They provide healthy food for them to eat, plan opportunities for regular exercise and talk to them about brushing their teeth.
• The manager consistently evaluates the ongoing performance of the nursery and considers the views of staff and parents. Staff feel they are managed well, receive good support and are given meaningful professional development opportunities.
• Parents speak highly about their children's experiences and the committed staff team. They value the local visits, events and creative opportunities offered to their children. They comment positively about the emotional support and care that staff provide to their children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further extend the opportunities for children to hear and develop mathematical language in their play.