Inspirations Nurseries and Forest School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The setting is an integral part of the community. Children have opportunities to venture out into the local area, including the woods, the library and trips to the theatre. There are strong links with local schools. The setting places a considerable emphasis on outdoor play and progressing children's development through a range of outdoor activities.

Children are warmly greeted as they enter the setting. Staff work closely with parents to ensure children can settle into nursery life and engage with their friends. Staff help children to separate from their caregivers. Children who require more emotional support are given reassurance and provided with extra cuddles.

Children's development is accurately assessed and monitored to ensure timely interventions can be made to support children with additional needs. Staff know children's starting points as a result of home visits and assessments. Staff understand the scaffolding of learning and sequence and tailor their teaching to enable children to progress in their development.

Children demonstrate good behaviour. They are encouraged to be kind to their friends and to share the resources. Children know the routine of the day, and this supports them to confidently move around the setting.

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

• Children's communication and language is a large focus throughout the setting. Staff use repetition and speak clearly to sensitively correct mispronunciations. They encourage babies to develop their babbling skills and communication as they play peekaboo. Children are introduced to new words as they explore the sand and art sessions.
• Children's physical skills are promoted well. Babies are encouraged to build on their walking skills as they push dolls in pushchairs and seek out staff to hold their hands. Older children have opportunities to climb trees and practise walking on different levels in the woods. They practise their throwing skills working together to put hoops over sticks. All children have frequent access to the outdoor areas.
• The focus on outdoor learning enables children to learn about the world around them. They learn about nature and the environment, talking about composting and feeding the birds. They are able to identify some flowers in the wooded areas and extend their learning in this environment.
• Children's behaviour is managed well. Staff remind children of the expected behaviours and explain about staying safe in the indoor and outdoor areas. Children understand the safety measures they must follow when going to the woods and understand when it is appropriate to take safe risks.
• Staff promote children's independence skills well. Even young children are encouraged to try to put on their coats and shoes. Staff support children to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating. Children have strong choices about the activities they want to participate in. They independently move around the setting and adults follow their lead.
• Staff reflect on their practice through a range of avenues. They seek feedback from parents, carers and other professionals. They accurately identify areas to develop further and strengthen. Staff feel supported to seek further professional development opportunities to benefit their practice. They feel their well-being is monitored by the management team.
• Parents value the highly skilled support given by staff to enable children to achieve to their full potential. They appreciate the information given about their children's progress through daily online and verbal updates. Parents feel children's medical needs are responded to appropriately.
• Staff place a strong emphasis on children's mathematical development in the pre-school. Children have opportunities to sing mathematical songs and recognise numbers in a range of resources. However, the mathematical development of younger children is not so closely focused on, and opportunities are not presented to develop routine counting.
• Children learn about healthy food options as they make fruit kebabs and talk about their food at lunchtimes. Children know about staying hydrated as staff discuss drinking lots of water to stay healthy. However, staff do not routinely remind children about managing their own hygiene. For example, staff do not remind children to blow their noses and wash their hands afterwards.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum for mathematics more effectively with younger children, to help further enhance children's understanding of mathematical concepts, such as counting
• support staff to help children learn about good hygiene practices, in particular with regards to runny noses.