Learning Works For Children Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are relaxed and happy in the nursery. Parents comment that their children settle quickly and are excited to see staff when they arrive in the morning. Babies who are mobile are encouraged to explore their environment. They are confident to approach adults for comfort and reassurance when needed. Staff encourage babies to develop their physical skills as they pour and empty coloured rice into different containers. Toddlers use their imagination and creativity as they pretend to make cakes with play dough. Staff support and encourage them to roll, mould and shape the play dough with their hands.

Throughout the nursery, children are encouraged to celebrate their own heritage and that of each other. Pre-school children talk freely with staff about their families and the experiences they have at home. Different family backgrounds are valued and respected. Parents bring in items from home, such as clothes for special occasions, and the children are excited to talk about them with their friends. Pre-school children focus on activities in small groups and engage well. They remain attentive and interested. For example, they talk about weddings they have attended as they design and make cardboard cut-out wedding outfits. Children learn about the world around them by going on a wide range of trips with staff. For example, they visit the local community farm and go on a train ride to the seaside.

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

• There is a strong focus on enabling children to develop good communication and language skills. Staff speak clearly to children so that they are able to learn and pronounce new words. Children enjoy having stories read to them, and older babies join in with singing familiar songs. Staff take children to a language group in the local community where they enjoy stories such as 'Stickman' to help them build on their communication skills.
• Staff encourage children to count and use mathematical language. They model language, such as 'full', 'empty', 'heavy' and 'light', as toddlers fill and empty containers in the water tray. Pre-school children excitedly count out strips of stickers. They confidently count up to 20.
• Staff recognise the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had for many children over the past two years, and have adapted their approach to enable children to catch up where needed. For example, they have provided more support for children in the toddler room to interact with one another to promote their social and emotional development.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early. Staff provide carefully considered interactions and activities to support their individual development. For example, they provide toys that can be used as a walker, and ensure that there is clear space for children who need extra room to move around.
• Children are generally well focused on the activities they are doing and behaviour is good. When children need support around their behaviour, staff quickly intervene. For example, when a baby climbs on tables or chairs, staff are quick to move them to safety. However, staff do not support children to learn what is expected of their behaviour and why the behaviour is unacceptable or unsafe.
• Pre-school children are encouraged to take age-appropriate responsibility for themselves. For example, staff encourage them to wash their hands and remove their own aprons once they finish a craft activity. This helps them to develop their independence skills.
• Parents comment that their children use new words and sing songs that they have learned at nursery. When they collect their child, the staff tell them about their child's day, including what their child has played with, what they have eaten and how long they have slept. However, parents are not aware of what their children have been learning at nursery and how they could extend this learning at home.
• Managers are clear about the learning the children should be gaining throughout the nursery. They provide staff with regular supervision and support them to plan activities that promote children's learning and development in exciting ways.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff explain to children the reason why their behaviour is acceptable or not safe, to help children to learn what behaviour is wanted
• provide parents with information and ideas to enable them to extend their children's learning and development at home.