Little Angels @ Princes Park Nursery And Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a very good standard of care and education at this inclusive nursery. The manager and staff foster a culture of mutual respect. Families are exceptionally well supported to access any additional help they may need. Staff establish warm, trusting relationships with children. Children approach staff for cuddles and reassurance when they need it. This helps children to develop the confidence to play and learn. The staff have planned learning to ensure all children, despite their different starting points, are well prepared for their future education. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning.

Children benefit from a range of purposeful and fun learning activities provided by staff. For example, children learn about where minibeasts live as they keenly search under logs for worms. Children gain essential knowledge about the world around them because staff engage in children's play, supporting and encouraging their learning. Staff skilfully use books to support children's communication and language development. Children avidly retell the story of the 'Three Billy Goats Gruff' to the inspector, exclaiming 'Who's that trip trapping over my bridge?' in deep voices. Children behave positively because staff have high expectations for them. Staff teach children to develop the social skills required for life. For example, staff explain to children that they must share the toys and use 'kind hands'. Staff have a secure understanding of how to ensure that children's safety and welfare are promoted.

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

• Staff know the children in their care well. They use assessment to find out how children are developing. They understand if there are any barriers to their learning. Staff use their knowledge to plan activities and opportunities that will help children to catch up in any areas that they are behind in. Additional funding is used to provide resources that have a positive impact on children's social and emotional development. Subsequently, children make progress in all areas of learning.
• Staff instil a love of books in the children. Staff use books of the month to help children develop language. Children thoroughly enjoy reading stories together. Staff plan a multitude of activities that link to the stories they read. For example, after reading 'Jack and the Beanstalk', children grow bean plants. They talk excitedly about the magic beans. This enables children to learn new vocabulary and make links in their learning.
• The manager and staff promote personal development effectively. Children take appropriate responsibility for themselves, such as collecting their cutlery and plate before serving their own food at mealtimes. This helps children to gain independence skills. However, sometimes, staff's teaching becomes too focused on children gaining these self-help skills. Some staff give less focus to the range of other learning intentions identified for activities.
• Parents praise the nursery staff highly. They feel respected and valued as partners in their child's learning and development. Staff send daily communication by email to parents. This helps them understand about their child's time in nursery. Staff run stay-and-play sessions to provide information about how children can learn more about numbers at home.
• Children are taught about equality and diversity effortlessly. Staff respect children's differing backgrounds and cultures. The festivals of different religions are celebrated to teach children about cultures other than their own. The manager invites parents into nursery to talk to children about Hanukkah and Tu BiShvat.
• The manager and staff team arrange a wide range of learning opportunities. For example, they visit theatre groups and animal farms, which provides children with experiences they may not otherwise have. Children are gaining the knowledge they need to live and work in modern Britain.
• The manager recognises the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles. The cook provides nutritionally balanced meals for children. Children are active in their play. They learn to run, jump and climb. This helps to support their good physical health. However, the staff do not ensure that children learn fully about the importance of good oral hygiene.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop staff's subject knowledge and teaching using focused professional development
• develop practice and provision to support children to learn about the importance of good oral health.