Leigh South Community Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident and happy in this nursery. The owner and staff have created an inviting and interesting learning environment. Children have strong bonds with their key persons who act as positive role models. This helps children to understand the high expectations for their behaviour. Staff offer the children gentle reminders of the nursery rules. When conflicts arise, staff support the children to talk about how they can be resolved. This means children learn how to manage their feelings and behaviours. Additional funding is used effectively to enhance children's learning experiences. Children benefit from activities, such as farm visits and bus journeys to large parks.

Children explore the outdoors and learn about nature. They build dens, mix sand and mud and learn about fire safety by the firepit area. Staff support children to be safe outdoors and to take appropriate risks. They guide children to make healthy food and exercise choices. Children plant and grow flowers and learn about life cycles. They enjoy tasting new fruits like pineapple and mango. Children explore numbers in all areas of the nursery. They confidently make marks and form letters. Furthermore, children learn new British sign language signs each week. This helps to develop children's understanding of similarities and differences between themselves and others. Children are eager to join in experiences set out for them. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.

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

• The provider is committed and passionate, with a clear vision for the setting. She has a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn, and she works closely with her dedicated staff team to make improvements. For example, she has recently enhanced the literacy area by creating a 'lending library' to build on children's love of books.
• Staff know the children well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work closely with a range of outside agencies. They put strategies in place to support children while referrals for additional support are being processed. For example, staff use visual aids to support children to understand what is happening next in their daily routine. All children make good progress.
• Staff use a wide range of strategies to promote children's communication skills. For example, they read, sing and converse with children throughout the day. Staff use and model language well. They create opportunities for children to use new language throughout activities. For example, children talk about 'fairy cakes' and 'peas' when moulding with dough. However, sometimes, group activities are not always well organised to successfully include children who most need support in developing their listening and attention.
• Staff consistently promote children's independence skills. Children confidently wipe their noses and put the tissues in the bin afterwards. They pour their own milk or water at snack time and confidently ask for the toilet. Children carry out small tasks, such as helping staff to sweep up the floor. This helps them learn how to manage their own personal safety.
• Staff show passion and dedication when caring for the children. They work well as a team and continually share their thoughts and ideas for the nursery. The provider focuses on supporting staff's mental health and well-being. She wants all staff to feel valued and happy in their place they work. However, while staff attend some training courses, the manager recognises that these need to be more precisely targeted to help raise the already good standard of teaching to an even higher level.
• Staff ensure resources reflect what makes children unique and special. For example, pre-school aged children can accurately re-create images of themselves. Across the nursery, children take part in celebrations to mark special days and learn about special events in other cultures. This helps children to feel valued.
• Parents are positive about the setting and the staff. They state they have attended stay-and-play sessions to learn skills that help them to support their children's development at home. The owner and staff work hard to build strong partnerships with parents. They visit children in their home and spend time getting to know them and their families. This enables staff to meet children's individual care and learning needs right from the start.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider more closely how to adapt group activities to ensure all children fully engage and benefit from the learning opportunities
• further develop a more focused professional development programme to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level.