La Petite Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and thrive at the nursery. They are confident and settled within their environment. Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum that reflects their interests. For example, children engage in a wide selection of activities that promote their development. Staff are highly engaged with children. They ask intriguing questions to extend children's learning. For example, staff ask, 'I wonder what will happen next if we mix these two together?' Children have access to outdoor space and planned activities that promote their physical development. Children grow their own plants and flowers with the help of a member of the local community. This creates opportunities for children to learn about the world around them. For instance, children and staff create bird-feeding baskets, attracting a wide selection of birds that they then identify and learn about.

Staff are aware of children's individual learning needs. They allow enough time when reading stories and asking questions for children to respond. Children and parents are welcomed every Friday morning to celebrate the Sabbath. Children, parents and staff pray, sing and dance together. This creates opportunities for their religious beliefs to be celebrated and acknowledged within the nursery. The Sabbath session is led by children. Children bake bread that is given to everyone. They share the bread and say a special prayer. Children and families choose if they wish to participate.

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

• Leaders are passionate about the service which they provide. They set high expectations for teaching standards and children's attainment. Staff are supported to deliver a rich curriculum. They plan activities that enhance children's learning and experiences, which is evident within each room.
• Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, they independently access cups of water when needed throughout the day. Children are offered a wide range of healthy, nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day. Staff use lunchtime as a learning and social experience to empower children. Children are chosen and celebrated by their peers to be the 'leader' at lunch. They then support staff with preparing tables and place mats. Children are encouraged to make decisions about where others are seated, and how to place their knives and forks.
• Staff take into consideration the different stages of children's development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported.
• A key-person system is in place within the nursery. Staff know their key children well and understand the stages of their development. They speak with confidence about children's different abilities and how they support their development. However, staff do not consistently share this information with parents to strengthen their parent partnership around children's development.
• Staff have access to indoor and external training. They are given the opportunity to widen their knowledge and learning experiences. However, some staff need support to build on their confidence around sharing information with other professionals.
• Children enjoy small-group activities with staff and parents. For example, they make play dough and pretend to cook dinner with staff. Children are encouraged to use sign language to support their communication.
• Children confidently seek out activities that are prepared for their individual-learning experiences. For example, staff prepare sensory activities for children, who benefit from exploring their senses and building on their curiosity.
• Staff have high expectations for every child, and consistently encourage positive behaviour and respect for all. They plan activities which role model good behaviours and attitudes, and also through the service they provide and how they communicate with each other and children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that staff consistently share information with parents about their children's development, to enable them to further support their children's learning at home
• extend staff's professional development to build on their confidence when sharing information with parents and other professionals.