Leigh Lollipops Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children very quickly settle into the nursery. They run towards the staff, who welcome them with open arms and a smile. From the outset, the caring and attentive staff team help children to feel safe and secure. Children are curious to learn and engage in activities for long periods. For example, children persist when building a tower that keeps falling over. 'I did it!' they exclaim, showing a sense of achievement.

Children benefit from a well-designed curriculum which supports their emerging vocabulary. They chat about the recent fireworks they have seen and learn new words such as 'whizz' 'bang' and 'whoosh'. Children then experiment with their new vocabulary as they take part, later in the day, in a dance activity. 'Whoosh, I'm a rocket, I'm flying!', they shout to their peers.

Children develop good levels of independence and are willing to have a go before asking the staff to help them. For example, children find their own pegs and take care of their belongings. They self-register their names and pour their own drinks during snack. Children have lovely manners and are well behaved. Staff have high expectations for children and constantly offer encouragement and praise. This helps to raise children's self-esteem and confidence.

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

• Staff set up play areas with well-planned activities for children to choose from. This allows children to make independent choices about their play. Children have large spaces to move around in with ease. They confidently move between the inside and outside spaces, where staff are ready to enhance their play experiences.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported. Staff are very proactive in consulting with other professionals in order to access additional support. They use effective strategies to help close any gaps in children's learning and development.
• Parents speak very highly about the quality of care and education that is offered to their children. They mention that staff are very supportive and know their children very well. One parent commented that staff were very influential in their child's recent development in communication.
• Staff have a very sound knowledge of children's abilities and next steps in their learning. They use their knowledge of the children's existing skills to plan what they need to learn next. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Overall, staff plan activities to support children's learning in all areas of the curriculum. However, children who speak English as an additional language are not fully supported to develop an understanding of their own culture and that of others. Consequently, children's diverse backgrounds are not fully celebrated.
• Children develop vivid imagination as staff excite them through their animated telling of stories. These adult-led activities inspire children to invent their own stories with props provided. Children tell the inspector that they 'had a dream where the unicorn used his special, sparkly horn to make them fly.'
• Children are supported to take an active part in their own self-care. For example, children wash their hands, without prompting, when they have been playing in the garden and before eating. They know that germs 'can make you poorly and sad'. Some children have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles, but staff do not consistently promote this message during routines. As a result, not all children know that healthy eating contributes towards health and fitness.
• Leaders have a strong focus on staff well-being. They regularly feedback to staff and discuss matters, such as workload and additional training that they may need. Staff report that they feel very well supported, and should they need it, are confident to ask for help and advice.
• Children benefit from meaningful opportunities to play outdoors. Staff provide natural props, such as conkers, seeds and pine cones and children confidently count these in the correct sequence. Children talk about concepts such as 'light' and 'heavy'. They 'bake cakes' and blow on them to cool them, warning their friends and the inspector 'not to touch'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on learning opportunities as they arise to extend children's understanding of making healthy choices
• support children to develop an understanding of their own culture and that of others.