Larkhill Garrison Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children very much enjoy nursery. They begin and end their day full of enthusiasm. Children independently place their lunch boxes on the shelf and immediately get involved with the planned activities that staff have prepared for them. Children explore the garden and find unripe strawberries growing in containers. Staff teach children the vocabulary to help them to explain that the fruit needs more sunshine and time to ripen. Staff introduce early literacy development into their curriculum. Children begin to learn to hear the sounds within words by tapping the syllables of their names on musical instruments. They develop the skills they need to help them in their future learning. Older children are ready to move to school. They play 'classrooms' while at nursery, and staff support children to express their excitement and give reassurance for any concerns.

Children feel safe and secure. Staff support children to communicate their feelings through talking or creating pictures. They help children to recognise their emotions and teach them how to manage them, such as by practising yoga or cuddling a toy in the comfy corner. Children learn about children in other countries and help to plan activities to raise money for a linked nursery in Nepal.

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

• Leaders have developed a clear and ambitious curriculum. They prioritise children's communication skills along with their emotional well-being. Leaders know the needs of children across the cohort well, particularly disadvantaged children. They adjust their curriculum to meet children's individual needs.
• Leaders structure their curriculum to provide a sequential learning experience. They ensure that children acquire the foundational skills necessary for future success. For example, staff are knowledgeable about the physical development and skills that children need to learn. They provide standing table-top activities or large paper on the floor to help children to use their whole arm with control when making marks. Children go on to confidently use scissors to contribute to collective artwork, with staff helping them to practise precision in their fine motor skills.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) thoroughly understands each child with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They accurately assess and monitor children's progress and identify developmental gaps. The SENCO works closely with external agencies and makes sure that children receive the necessary support. Staff provide children with interventions and modified activities that help them to catch up with their peers.
• The development of literacy is a high priority for leaders and staff. They celebrate books and encourage children to use these across all areas of learning. Children recall important events from stories that they know during imaginative play. They retell 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', pretending that bowls of sand are hot porridge and saying, 'This is too hot for me!' Staff value children's emerging writing skills. They encourage children to read back what they have written, which helps children to know that their marks are meaningful.
• Staff know children's needs and interests well. They provide appropriate planning and activities that help children to make progress. Children become engrossed in activities, such as mixing corn flour and water to make slime. Staff provide children with new words to help them learn new language. However, occasionally, staff do not always challenge children when they find tasks easy, so they do not always learn to persevere when things get tricky.
• Staff have cultivated strong relationships with children. Children know that staff care about them and feel safe. They behave well and have learned to share and use good manners with others. Staff are proactive in supporting children, particularly those with SEND, who need individualised approaches to help them to manage their behaviour successfully.
• Leaders and staff have developed good partnerships with parents. Staff regularly communicate what children have learned during the day and share any concerns that they have about their development. They provide and facilitate parenting courses and work closely with external agencies to support families. Parents describe the setting as an 'extended family'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that planned activities are challenging for children so that they make even more progress and learn to persevere when tasks are tricky.