Ladybird Children's Nursery - St Catherine's

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Nursery managers and staff create a very positive and highly inclusive environment, where all children flourish. Care is personalised, individual and respectful. Staff get to know children extremely well. They care deeply for them and build strong bonds. Support for children's personal, emotional and social development is outstanding. Staff talk to children about whether they feel angry, calm, happy or sad. They praise children and celebrate their unique achievements through a 'proud cloud' display. This helps build children's confidence and self-esteem. Children feel a sense of belonging as they take turns to be 'handy helpers' at mealtimes. They become 'safety spies' as they help staff check the enclosed garden for any hazards. This helps children to learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe.

Children are curious and highly motivated to learn as they roll potatoes down pipes to see how fast they travel. They show high levels of concentration and focus as they pour water from jugs and compare the size of seedlings they have planted. There is a strong focus on being outside and enjoying fresh air and exercise. Children are very happy and settled. Staff help children to feel secure by using pictures to show what is happening now and what will happen next. They help children to manage their behaviour by using yoga techniques and creating a special area in the garden for children to be calm.

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

• Staff support children to grow rapidly in independence. They teach children how to safely chop prunes and grapefruits to make their own smoothies. Staff use a 'snuffle station' to teach children to clean their noses themselves. They put stickers on shoes to help children identify which foot is left and which is right.
• Staff have a very clear understanding of where children are in their development. They closely monitor children's progress and interests. Staff use this information to plan highly effective support and to prepare children for their move to school. This includes dedicated time for children to recap on their learning.
• Children benefit from a wide range of exciting, innovative and challenging activities and experiences. They learn about lifecycles and how to keep their bodies healthy as they grow cress to eat, take part in baking activities, and plant tomatoes and carrots. Children mark special events such as Easter, St Patrick's Day and Eid.
• Staff work closely with parents and other professionals involved with children. They gather detailed information about children and use this to help broaden their experiences. For example, they ensure there is plenty of outdoor play for children who do not have access to this at home.
• There is outstanding support for children's language development. Staff carefully phrase questions to help children express their thoughts and ideas. They introduce descriptive words such as 'crunchy' or 'soft' and new words such as 'gravity' and 'spiral'. Staff use sign language, objects and pictures to help aid children's communication still further.
• Staff provide excellent opportunities for children to develop physically. Children develop dexterity and coordination as they roll dough, squeeze pipettes, paint with brushes and pop soap bubbles in the air. Children develop their core strength as they stretch and climb, and balance on beams and stepping stones.
• Staff plan excellent support for mathematics. They talk to children about the position of their sandcastles and how lifting the pipe they roll items down will make them go slower or faster. Staff encourage children to choose between different shades of colour as they make marks on large rolls of paper. They talk to them about the patterns they make.
• Feedback from parents is superb. Parents describe the nursery as nurturing and praise the 'love, warmth and care' staff show. Parents praise the systems for communication and the close links the nursery has with the local school that children also attend. They say staff go above and beyond in the care of their children.
• Managers have extensive experience of caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Additional funding the setting receives helps to provide support for children's physical and sensory development.
• Managers and staff continuously evaluate what works well for children and what can be improved. For example, as a result of evaluation, managers have strengthened support for mathematics throughout the nursery.
• Staff are supported very well, in terms of both their professional development and well-being. Managers and staff share tasks and work extremely well together.