J&S Playhouse

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend and enjoy their time at this friendly nursery. The staff are kind and caring, and they support children to settle in effectively following a break from attending. This supports all children to build attachments and feel safe and secure. Staff understand the importance of gathering information from parents at the start. They find out what children can do and their changing interests regularly. This helps staff to plan a curriculum that supports all children to make good progress. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff create a supporting environment that promotes independence and team building. Children make choices and show a positive attitude to their learning. They try new activities and receive praise for their achievements. This raises children's self-esteem. For example, children work together to build the train track, cut using scissors and mark make with paint. Staff are skilled at adapting activities and involve children with SEND in all aspects of nursery life.

Staff role model expected behaviour. They encourage good manners and children eagerly help with small tasks, such as handing out their friend's place mat at snack or tidying away their toys. Children know the routine well. They share resources, wait to take turns at popular activities and behave well.

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

• Leaders promote a curriculum that has high expectations for all children's learning. They support staff to provide activities and experiences that are linked to children's interests. To adopt new practice, training and support are provided. However, on occasion, staff are not sure how to use activities to link to children's individual next steps in development, by building on what children already know.
• Staff support children with SEND. Alongside leaders, they identify gaps in children's learning at an early stage and work with parents and other professionals to address them. Children are developing well in their learning.
• Staff support children's language and communication skills well, overall. They model correct pronunciation and introduce new vocabulary. For example, staff use the word 'sticky' as they make play dough with children. However, some use of techniques, including questioning, are less effective in supporting children's skills. For example, staff often ask questions that require only one-word responses. In addition, they do not always observe children's play to ensure that questions are relevant and helpful to extend children's learning even further.
• Staff are good role models and interact well with children. However, at times, staff are unsure of their roles and responsibilities during routines and activities at times of the day. Staff sometimes do not organise themselves effectively, particularly when routines change and they are unsure of their role during group activities. For example, on occasion, staff talk over each other when sharing instructions with children. This impacts on the otherwise good support children receive.
• Children's physical development is well supported. Children access outdoor activities regularly. They develop their large muscles as they balance to work the see-saw, and ride wheeled toys. Staff remind them of spatial awareness as they eagerly ride the bikes in the garden. Children use their small-hand muscles as they manipulate play dough, make marks and complete puzzles. This supports children's emerging early writing skills.
• Children have opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. They keenly count and recognise numerals. Staff encourage mathematical language as they explain to children which is the 'longer' track. Children eagerly recognise shapes as they practise their cutting skills. This supports all children to develop their mathematical awareness.
• Partnerships with parents are effective at this nursery. Parents comment that children are happy to attend, staff are friendly and they feel supported as a whole family unit. They see their children making progress and receive information daily about what their children have been doing.
• Leaders foster a positive and supportive culture. They offer staff continuous development through coaching and training. Leaders provide effective supervision and one-to-one mentoring sessions, which ensure a clear understanding of staff's strengths. They use regular reviews to help to enhance staff's skills and aspirations. Staff feel highly supported and valued.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum more effectively to better meet children's individual learning needs
• improve use of techniques, such as questioning, to extend children's thinking communication and language skills more effectively
• strengthen staff's understanding of their role so they fully understand what is expected of them, to consistently provide a high-quality learning environment for children.