Langstone Community Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children cheerily enter the nursery and wave goodbye to their parents. They feel safe and secure. Attentive staff supportively welcome them with smiles and conversations about the day ahead. Where children are still settling in, staff offer cuddles and reassurance. They talk to children about emotions and feelings. Staff continue to offer gentle encouragement until children feel ready to join in. Children confidently place their bags away and go outside to join their friends. They excitedly practise balancing on blocks and pedalling bikes. Staff support children's play, offering praise and encouragement. Children build excellent physical skills as they explore the outdoor environment.

Managers and staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They remind children about the importance of sharing and taking turns. Children have high levels of respect for the rules and routines in place at the nursery. When they hear the bell, they know that staff are letting them know there are two minutes left until tidy-up time. Children begin to finish their games and put them away, helping their friends as they go. Children develop highly positive attitudes and follow instructions with ease.

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

• Managers have a robust curriculum that staff understand and implement well. They plan a broad range of interesting activities that inspire and motivate children. For example, staff provide a pin and cork board activity with a range of different shapes. They model their own creation to inspire children's thinking. Children are quickly involved and excitedly talk about what they are making. They remain engaged for long periods. Children develop a good attitude to learning.
• Staff support children's communication development well. They talk with children throughout their activities. For example, when children are playing with dinosaurs, staff add vocabulary, including extinction and Corythosaurus. Children show fascination and continue to enjoy matching dinosaur figures, words and pictures. Children develop a broad vocabulary.
• Overall, children demonstrate a good level of independence. They know where to place their belongings away and often do this alone. However, at times some staff do simple tasks for children that they could do themselves. For example, they swiftly open lunch boxes and packets without asking if children require support. This does not consistently enhance children's developing independence skills.
• Managers act with integrity to ensure that all children have access to early years entitlement. Where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, managers work closely with parents and other professionals involved in children's care. They ensure that plans are put in place to support children to achieve best outcomes.
• Staff provide children with activities that build on their early literacy skills. They have 'sparkle box' time, which focuses on a different letter of the alphabet. Children enjoy this and can often recognise the sound of the letter they see. Children develop a good understanding of different letters and sounds.
• Children learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. During activities and meal times, staff encourage children to think about different foods. For example, they ask children whether they think foods are a 'treat' or 'healthy snack'. Children gain meaningful knowledge that supports their understanding of personal health.
• Staff attend a range of training to increase their knowledge and skills. Some staff have recently attended a course about managing challenging behaviour. They explain how this has helped them in practice. Managers also work closely with less experienced staff, offering ongoing mentoring and training. Staff speak highly of the professional development opportunities available to them. They feel supported by managers.
• Managers and staff build strong relationships with parents. They provide information through an online system, where parents receive updates about their child's day. Parents share that they are happy with the communication they receive. They are confident about how well their children transition to nursery each day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently recognise opportunities where children can develop their independence skills