Little Angels of Leamington Spa Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome and settle quickly when they arrive. They are happy and secure throughout the day. Staff are good role models. They encourage and praise children as they play and learn. The staff team reinforces the use of good manners at all times. For example, at mealtimes, adults remind children to say 'yes please' and 'thank you'. Children are aware of the behavioural boundaries and are kind to each other. Staff offer gentle reminders if children do not share or take turns when playing, which helps children to learn what is expected of them.

All children enjoy their growing independence. Babies learn to use spoons and feed themselves. Staff encourage toddlers to pour from a small jug and fill their own beakers at lunchtime. Pre-school children also access a healthy breakfast and snack. They serve themselves cereal and raisins in bowls and they fill their beakers with fresh drinking water using a tap. Children also enjoy being the 'helper' and completing jobs throughout the day.

Staff provide a range of experiences for children to further develop their knowledge of the world. Children grow herbs and look after guinea pigs. They also enjoy drama and sports classes from visiting professionals. Children learn about different cultures and beliefs as they access a range of books, resources and experiences which promote positive images of diversity.

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

• The management team strives to provide the best for all the children in its care. The environment is inclusive and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language make good progress. Staff gather key words from children's home languages and use these to support them on a daily basis. Children are supported further as staff use picture cards and Makaton to help with communication.
• Children who receive additional funding are supported well. Staff carefully observe children's interests and preferred styles of learning and use what they find out to plan varied experiences for children. For example, they provide additional sports activities, led by outside professionals, for children who enjoy physical outdoor play. Children make good progress in their learning.
• The manager has a clear understanding of what she wants children to learn. Staff provide children with a wide range of activities that cover the seven areas of learning. Experienced staff demonstrate high-quality interactions and help children to enrich their knowledge and language as they play. However, less experienced staff do not consistently interact in this way. As a result, sometimes, children's knowledge and language are not extended as fully as they could be.
• The manager regularly reviews the quality of the provision. She welcomes the views of children, parents and staff. For example, staff ask children their views about the menu. Children also contribute with their own likes and dislikes to help staff plan activities. Parent feedback is important to the staff. This information helps them to develop the provision further.
• Children enjoy opportunities to develop good physical skills. For example, they climb the steps on a slide and have space to run and jump. Babies pull themselves up to stand and they learn to balance. Children also develop their small-muscle skills. They draw pictures, complete jigsaw puzzles and use tools such as rolling pins to shape play dough.
• Children of all ages engage in a range of sensory and messy-play experiences. They use brushes and rollers to investigate and make patterns in coloured cornflour. They explore the texture on their hands and run it through their fingers as they play. Outside, toddlers use paintbrushes in shaving foam. They paint their hands and then try to form handprints on the wall.
• All staff engage children in a wide range of stories and songs. Babies enjoy singing action songs. For example, they point to the different parts of their bodies as they sing 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'. Older children explore a space-themed tray which includes information books. They use these resources as they discuss the moon and the stars and develop their knowledge of space.
• Children demonstrate confidence as they count during their play. Older children sing number rhymes and count forwards and then backwards from 10. Toddlers count with their key person as they climb the steps up to the slide.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to develop their interactions with children to a consistently high standard to help children extend their knowledge and language further.