Honeycroft

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their families are individually greeted by the attentive, friendly staff as they arrive. Children initiate conversations about things of personal significance. Staff listen intently and respond with enthusiasm. Children confidently self-register and put their belongings away before quickly delving into the wide range of activities on offer. Staff carefully consider the environment and activities to capture children's interests, expose them to new ideas and concepts and promote their individual learning. Consequently, children are eager to explore activities and play experiences. This supports children to be motivated in their learning and sustain their interest as they play.

Leaders and staff recognise the diverse families and children that attend this unique, welcoming nursery. The staff team recognises the importance of getting to know children's individual personalities, cultural heritage and family backgrounds. Staff ensure children receive personalised care and learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language (EAL). Children seek out staff as they invite them to join their play and share their achievements. Staff are responsive and nurturing. This helps children to feel safe and valued, building confidence in their social skills. Furthermore, staff are positive role models for children. This contributes positively to children's attitudes to learning and the inclusive relationships they are forming with friends.

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

• Leaders, alongside their staff team, are dedicated to providing the best care and learning possible. They recognise the importance of staff well-being and have effective arrangements in place to mentor, coach and support staff. Staff have regular opportunities to complete additional training that supports their practice and ever-growing knowledge. This ensures that experiences for children are continually improving.
• Staff have a secure knowledge of the curriculum. They know what they want individual children to gain from the activities they have thoughtfully provided. They skilfully adapt and tailor learning experiences to support children's individual stages of learning. Staff know what children have learned and what they are teaching them next and why. Children's learning is well sequenced and provides opportunities for children to revisit new skills learned and build on them even further.
• Children have opportunities to learn about oral health and are provided with nutritious meals. Staff ensure children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills. They gravitate to the indoor ball pit and use the outdoor space as they run, jump and balance, developing their core muscles. This promotes children's good health.
• Staff have a calm and consistent approach to supporting children's behaviour. They acknowledge and empower children to learn and talk about their own feelings and swiftly support them to resolve minor conflicts as they arise. This contributes to children's growing understanding of their own and others' emotions. However, leaders have not identified that on occasions, mealtime routines could be better organised to enable children to consistently learn behavioural expectations and further support their independence.
• Staff provide high-quality, purposeful interactions with children that are age and stage appropriate. This promotes their communication and language skills well. Additionally, many children and families attend who speak EAL. Staff excel at providing consistent, varied communication methods, such as Makaton and pictorial aids. The staff also speak several languages, which supports communication with children and families in their native languages as well as English. Staff continually expose all children to new words as they build their vocabulary. This supports all children to become confident communicators.
• Generally, group times are well considered. Staff plan age- and stage-appropriate small-group times that capture children's attention. However, larger-group times do not always enable all children to gain the most from the activity. Some children find it difficult to focus their attention for longer periods. As a result, some children lose interest and become distracted, which impacts on others. This does not fully meet children's needs.
• Partnerships with parents are at the heart of this nursery. All staff understand the diverse community they provide for and the importance of their roles. Parents report their children make good progress, particularly in their communication and language skills, as well as developing their self-confidence. Furthermore, parents particularly value the dedicated staff, who they describe as an 'extension to their own families'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen arrangements for the organisation of mealtimes to ensure children have what they need to consistently learn behavioural expectations and support their growing independence
• review the organisation of some group times to ensure that staff fully engage children to help them remain focused in their learning.