Little Brook Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. They lead their own learning as they play and show that they feel safe as they approach staff to join them. Children choose from the wide variety of activities on offer and staff help them embed and build on what they know and can do across all areas of learning.

Children benefit from daily opportunities to learn and play outside. They practise their physical skills as they ride scooters, bicycles, and climb on a wooden frame. Children learn about their community and the area where they live. For example, they enjoy outings to local supermarkets and parks.

Babies are particularly well supported by calm staff who respond to their needs very well. Sensitive interactions help babies to rapidly build strong bonds with their key persons. Staff's thorough knowledge of babies' individual routines and likes ensures that they make a strong start to their learning.

Overall, children behave well. They show a sound understanding of the routines of the day and staff's expectations of them. For example, children know to hang up their coat on the pegs if they are too warm while playing outside.

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

• Staff plan a broad curriculum that is based around children's interests. They plan activities and source resources to ensure that the most capable children are fully challenged in their learning. Children make good progress across the curriculum.
• There is a strong focus on mathematics across the nursery. Young children have a well-developed understanding of number and shape. For instance, they can identify a rhombus and a cuboid. This helps to give children a solid foundation for their future learning.
• Staff read and sing to children throughout the day. Children laugh as staff read stories in an engaging manner and join in with familiar actions and words. Children are confident and approach visitors to chat about their day. They learn to become articulate and confident in their communications.
• Staff identify emerging gaps in children's learning through regular observation and assessment. They implement strategies to help narrow and close any gaps. Leaders work with outside agencies to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. All children make appropriate progress from their different starting points.
• Leaders and staff work well as a team. They work hard to continually improve staff's practice through focused training which benefits children's learning. However, staff deployment is not always effective in enabling staff to manage the more challenging aspects of children's behaviour. This means that, on occasion, children are not fully focused on their learning and play.
• Staff support children to develop independence and skills for life. For instance, staff encourage children to manage their own portion sizes at mealtimes and to learn about healthy lifestyle choices. Children learn to manage their own self-care needs and take care of their own belongings. This helps to ensure that children are ready for their move on to school.
• Staff teach children about our diverse world and how they are each unique. Children learn keywords and hear songs in languages spoken in their friends' homes. Staff are learning sign language so that they can teach this to children. Children learn about a range of festivals, including Eid al-Fitr. They also find out about customs such as the coronation of a monarch. Children begin to understand life in modern Britain.
• Leaders and staff work hard to build and maintain relationships with parents. Staff offer a variety of methods of communication to parents to suit their needs. Leaders also offer additional support to families of children who speak English as an additional language. This ensures that all parents have a sound understanding of their children's learning and development and can extend children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how staff are deployed to enable consistent management of the more challenging aspects of children's behaviour.