Little Angels Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are well cared for by the staff in this nurturing and close-knit nursery. Babies and toddlers develop caring relationships with their key staff and settle quickly when they arrive each morning. Children are learning to manage their emotions and are supported in this by the attentive staff team, who act as good role models. There are lots of opportunities for physical play. Children squeal with excitement as they practise kicking and throwing balls. Children take managed risks as they challenge themselves by negotiating uneven stepping stones and balance beams when playing outside. This helps to develop their coordination and balance. Children also demonstrate their resilience as they persevere if they do not initially succeed. Toddlers confidently explore their environment independently, showing great curiosity in seasonal resources. Children develop the muscles in their hands as they persevere using tweezers to pick up conkers, as they practise counting how many they have collected. Pre-school children are challenged in their learning as they begin to learn the sounds that letters represent and make more precise and meaningful marks on a variety of materials.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff are providing children with even greater support to help their speech and language development.

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

• Staff get to know the children and their families well. They gather detailed information about what children know and can do, their interests, and any additional needs before they start at the nursery. As a result, children's transition when starting at the nursery is a positive one. This helps them to feel safe and secure with the knowledgeable staff team. This approach also ensures that staff are immediately able to plan appropriate learning opportunities so that children make the best possible progress.
• Staff are trained in specific strategies to help the development of communication and language for those children most in need of support. Notably, these skills are used with all children, meaning that all children progress well from their starting points in this area of learning. For example, very young children say, 'on my hands' showing staff they are covered in paint after an activity. Older children express themselves confidently and chat away with each other during their play. Staff have acted on the recommendation from the previous inspection and now consistently give children sufficient time to respond to questions. This further promotes children's thinking and speaking skills.
• In the main, staff promote children's independence effectively. For example, children confidently help themselves to resources and construct obstacle courses when playing outside. However, staff do not always notice when children are ready for further challenge to develop their growing independence. For example, they peel older children's fruit and feed toddlers when they are clearly capable of doing these tasks for themselves.
• Parents comment positively about the care their children receive at the nursery. They say that staff provide them with lots of information about how their children are progressing. Also that they get lots of hints and tips on how to support their children's learning at home.
• Staff teach children about good manners and appropriate behaviours, such as sharing and taking turns. In turn, the children behave in this way with each other. For example, children initiate their own play as they create ball games. They also show consideration to their friends, for example, by helping them to the catch the ball. As a result, all children are proud of their accomplishments.
• Leaders continue to work closely with other specialist professionals to support children's individual needs. They act decisively and ensure close collaboration with parents in such matters. This ensures that children get the best possible support at the earliest point.
• Staff talk positively about the strong team ethos and the support they receive from leaders. Staff receive feedback, which helps them to improve their practice. Staff are happy and their workload is manageable.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff knowledge and understanding to consistently help children to build on their growing independence.