Kensington Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly enter this homely nursery and are welcomed by staff who motivate their learning. Babies watch staff blow bubbles, then have a go. Older children use dough to make 'cakes' for the staff. They carefully put them in the role play oven and then count the candles. Children paint their hands and then enjoy seeing the mark it makes on paper. Children are inquisitive learners and demonstrate high levels of engagement.

Children develop loving bonds with the professional staff team. Children who have not attended nursery for a while excitedly hug staff as they return. As children wake from a sleep, they are met with cuddles and reassurance. Nappy changing procedures are respectful. Staff considerately show children a nappy to prepare them for having their nappy changed soon. Children are supported to feel safe and relaxed.

Children follow the established routines and children of all ages are encouraged to be independent. Younger children find their own belongings and attempt to take off their own coats. Older children serve their own food and fill up their own water bottles. They show pride as they manage to put on their own socks and shoes independently. Children are confident in their own abilities and make good progress in all areas of their learning.

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

• Children have many opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. Children laugh as staff name animals and make the animal sound. Staff listen with interest to children's ideas and ask questions to extend their thinking. Joyful singing can be heard throughout the nursery, and staff introduce puppets and instruments to enthuse children further. Children make good progress with their communication and language skills.
• Staff are confident in how to develop children's physical skills. Babies have space to crawl and to take their first steps. Older children make obstacle courses for their friends. They challenge them to climb to the top and throw a beanbag into a box that they have placed on the floor. As children get out of breath, staff encourage them to feel their heart and discuss the impact on their bodies. Children benefit from spending a lot of time in the fresh air and engaging in daily physical exercise.
• Babies flock around staff as they see them pick up a book. Staff read with enthusiasm and children eagerly turn the pages and lift the flaps to reveal the pictures. Children giggle as they see their favourite animal on the page. Older children have access to non-fiction texts that they use to find out information. As children plant seeds, they look in a book about flowers to see what they will look like when they grow. Children retell familiar stories as they play. As they explore seeds, they talk about wanting to throw them so they will grow and they can climb the beanstalk 'like Jack and the beanstalk'. Children show an interest in books.
• Staff enrich children's knowledge and sense of the world. As staff talk to children about minibeasts and where they live, children eagerly turn over logs to hunt for them. Children remind staff that they have not watered their plants and quickly go to collect water. They look with interest and notice that the seeds have 'sprouted'. Children show care and concern for living things.
• Staff support children's health well. The nursery provides healthy and nutritious meals and children add lots of vegetables to their plates at mealtimes. Children talk about how these will help them to be 'strong'. Staff discuss the importance of keeping hydrated. Children regularly stop to have a drink and remind their friends to drink after they finish a running game outside.
• The manager ensures staff have access to training and support and feel valued by leaders. She has systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching. However, due to recent staff absences, she is working directly with the children to help to meet the required ratios. She is less able to observe staff regularly and provide feedback on their performance. There are minor weaknesses in practice and teaching that have not been identified and addressed.
• Parental partnerships are strong. Parents state that the nursery is 'like an extended family'. They receive regular updates about their children's time at the nursery and their developmental progress. Parents state that their children settled quickly when they started at the nursery and feel that this is because of the supportive staff. They have noticed lots of progress with their children's social and communication development since they have been attending.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor the effectiveness of staff's professional development to raise the quality of teaching and practice to the highest level.