Joseph's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly arrive at the nursery. Parents, carers and children are warmly welcomed by staff. This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe and secure. Staff meet children's individual needs and give reassurance and comfort. Children have a positive attitude to their learning. They eagerly explore the daily activities that staff provide, based on their current interests. Children are confident to invite visitors into their play and babies bring books for adults to read to them. Children develop confidence in their communication skills and start to build friendships with their peers. The pre-school room is full of happy chatter between staff and children. Children develop a love of books, stories and rhymes. They look at the pictures. Staff talk about what they can see and introduce new words. This helps to build children's language effectively.

Children's behaviour is good. They learn to take turns as they play with small-world resources and inset puzzles. Staff teach children how to follow instructions and make positive behavioural choices. They are good role models. Staff are kind and thoughtful as they talk and interact with children and other staff. Older children help to tidy up and learn to put on their own coats and boots for outdoor play. When older children suggest they play favourite action games, staff successfully engage all children to join in. This supports children's self-esteem and confidence very well.

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

• Overall, staff create a balanced curriculum. They know where their key children are up to in their development. However, when staff deliver activities to children, they do not always focus on the learning intentions that they planned for. This means that children's learning is not always maximised.
• Staff encourage children to persevere and work together. Children problem solve and complete the wooden train track with their friends. Younger children are curious and enjoy exploring different textured cereals. Staff sit with them as they roll, squeeze and shake the bags. However, some transition times, such as before going outside and after group activities, are not consistently well planned to sustain children's attention.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their understanding of different feelings and emotions. For example, staff have ongoing discussions and plan specific activities that encourage children to talk about their feelings and emotions. They support and talk to babies and toddlers about how they are feeling, such as when they express that they are happy or sad. This helps children to begin to make connections between their feelings and emotions.
• Staff plan good support to develop children's physical skills. Children thoroughly enjoy jumping in the muddy puddles and learn how to roll, splat and squeeze mud with their fingers. Staff remain close by, offering encouragement and a hand to steady children if they wobble on the tyres. Later, children use their small muscles to operate spray bottles to wash their hands clean.
• Staff provide children with a wide range of opportunities to develop their understanding of number and shapes through play. For example, staff model mathematical language to younger children and encourage them to count and recognise shapes. Outside, older children confidently discuss concepts, such as volume and capacity, when pouring water into the sand.
• Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery. They reflect accurately on the areas they wish to improve. For example, they plan to develop the outdoor area further. Some staff recently accessed training for forest school activities. This has helped them to provide activities to encourage children to take risks. All staff receive regular supervision sessions and training to improve their practice and the experiences for children.
• Children learn from staff that being healthy is important. Staff provide nutritious meals and snacks for children throughout the day. Children welcome learning about and trying new foods. They build their social and self-care skills. For example, children explain why they wash their hands before eating. Older children confidently use knives and forks at mealtimes.
• Staff work closely with parents from the start. Children benefit from effective settling-in sessions to familiarise themselves with the staff and the nursery and learn to manage separation from their parents. Staff sensitively support babies as they experience the various daily routines and are skilled in easing the transition into nursery life. Staff support children well through wider transitions, including moving on to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn
• review the organisation of transition times to reduce young children's waiting times and maintain quality interactions.