Houghton Nursery Group

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this warm and welcoming nursery group. They come into the setting with great excitement each day to play with their friends. Children greet the kind and caring staff with smiles, hugs and friendly gestures, showing that they feel safe and secure. They develop close relationships with staff, who provide a calm and nurturing environment. Children develop confidence in choosing what they want to do from a wide range of choices. They quickly become independent in care needs and in developing their own personal preferences.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff provide clear and consistent routines. As a result, all children feel settled as they know the expectations each day. They learn to take care of their environment and thrive on the responsibility and challenge while tidying away resources. Staff act as good role models. They support children's understanding of turn taking and sharing during their play. Staff teach children the importance of good social skills, of manners, respect and listening to other people. They prepare children well for their next move on to school.

Children take part in activities that promote their physical development. For example, they thoroughly enjoy the outside agency music and movement sessions. Children confidently do the actions as they sing favourite songs and dance to the music. This is a great resource that supports the use of funding and enables all children to take part. Staff provide yoga sessions and PE. These activities help children recognise their emotions and develop physically through stretching and breathing exercises. Children are proud of their achievements. They carefully handle their Remembrance Day pictures and recall how people got medals for being brave in the war. Children show great resilience and persist in chosen tasks, such as when completing complex puzzles.

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

• The inspirational manager has a clear vision for the nursery. She ensures regular team meetings occur in order to share updates and ideas. Staff attend regular supervision meetings that help to identify their strengths and training needs. Staff work together as a team. They plan an effective curriculum and have high expectations for the children.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff are highly proactive at recognising where help is required. They swiftly put in a package of support to ensure that early help strategies are implemented swiftly while waiting for other professionals to assess these children. The key-person role is effective and enables all children to make the best progress they can.
• Children are confident to interact with staff, who support their language, communication, and literacy skills well. Staff introduce new words and concepts while children engage in activities. For example, while children examine medical instruments during imaginative play, they learn the word 'stethoscope'. Children enjoy listening to stories and taking part in interactive songs, and music and movement sessions. A superb communication and language programme is embedded in the curriculum. Staff create an environment rich in language, including at snack and mealtimes. As a result, children become confident communicators.
• Children learn about healthy eating and practise good hygiene routines. Staff provide a varied fruit snack for children, with fresh milk and drinking water. Children are encouraged to pour their own drinks and decide for themselves how much they want to eat. This supports children's independence and personal skills. However, opportunities to introduce children to oral hygiene are not as well promoted.
• Staff provide a good range of activities and resources that allow children to make individual choices in their play. For example, children move freely into the outdoors, where they access the water tray. Staff support this interest while introducing concepts of floating and sinking. Staff know their key children well. They use their knowledge of each child to plan how they can best support them. Staff embed children's learning to ensure their next steps are supported.
• Staff develop strong partnerships with parents. They are sensitive to children's individual needs and the needs of their families. Parents have nothing but praise for the nursery and they feel highly supported. They say how staff have helped coordinate things and supported them. Parents feel they are listened to and respected. They appreciate the regular communication and updates on their children's development and activities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help children to understand the importance of oral health.