Les Petits Rois Nurseries Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff at this spacious and modern nursery offer a warm welcome to children and their families. Leaders have developed enabling indoor environments that have been thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of different age groups. They are currently considering how to develop the outside area to a similar standard. Children feel safe and secure, enabling them to confidently explore their surroundings and make choices about their play.

Leaders are passionate about developing children's communication and language skills and this is given an appropriate focus in their curriculum. Staff share stories and sing songs throughout the day, and leaders select engaging core texts to explore topics. For example, the book 'Come to Tea on Planet Zum-Zee' has been chosen to engage children with an interest in rockets. This supports children to develop an early love of reading.

Staff deliver secure and predictable daily routines, and the nursery rules are shared and discussed with children each morning. This repetition helps children to understand the expectations of the setting and contributes towards positive behaviour. For example, children understand the expectations of circle time which leads to a calm and purposeful learning session.

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

• Staff develop warm and supportive relationships with children. They are always at child-level, engaging with children in their play and activities. Staff give children frequent praise and are specific about what children have done well, helping them to understand what is expected of them. This creates a safe and reassuring environment in which children develop in confidence and are enabled to progress across the curriculum areas.
• Staff present information clearly to children. They introduce new vocabulary and model language errors back correctly. Staff use effective strategies to engage and interest children. For example, during an age-appropriate phonics activity, children are encouraged to discuss what might be hidden in a box that begins with a certain letter sound. Over time, children make good progress with their language development.
• Senior leaders plan learning for all children. They ensure activities have clear learning intentions to match the needs of different age groups. While a strong starting point, this approach does not incorporate individual children's next steps or reflect the knowledge that key practitioners have about individual children. However, the impact of this is currently mitigated by leaders knowing the small number of children in attendance well.
• Staff support children to understand their feelings. For example, they use a visual board to identify different emotions and ask children how they are feeling each morning. Most staff are quick to support children to resolve minor disputes, reinforcing the nursery rules. However, not all staff are confident in these situations. This leads to some unwanted behaviours being ignored, such as running around inside.
• Leaders and staff promote an inclusive environment. For example, they celebrate a range of calendar events to include all religions and cultures. They invest in books in different languages and that represent children from diverse backgrounds. Staff also promote manners at every opportunity, modelling and reminding children to use kind words, and to say 'please' and 'thank you' routinely. This contributes to a positive and respectful culture.
• Children are offered healthy meals and snacks, and dietary requirements are well catered for. They regularly access a spacious outside area where they enjoy releasing energy together. Staff encourage children to draw on the floor with chalk or use tools to mark make in the sand. However, outdoor resources and opportunities for child-led learning are limited. Leaders are aware of this and are making plans to improve their outside learning environment.
• Leaders and staff have positive relationships with parents. They offer regular updates about children's care and development and provide ideas for home learning. Parents comment that their children are very happy and making progress, most notably with their language development and social skills.
• Leaders demonstrate a commitment and passion for their roles. They have a clear vision for the nursery, which is still very new. They are working alongside other professionals, such as local authority advisors, to ensure their nursery continues to go from strength to strength. Staff comment that they feel well supported and valued.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the key-person system so that planned learning includes individual children's interests and next steps of development
• ensure all staff work together to deliver consistent expectations of behaviour to support children's development
• develop the outside environment to provide wider learning opportunities for all ages.