Little Freddies Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager and staff have high expectations for every child. Staff are nurturing and committed to forming strong bonds with children. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff form strong links with parents to understand children's interests, needs and routines. They use this information well to plan carefully, supporting children's progress in their learning. This contributes to children being happy, settled and engaged at this warm and welcoming nursery.

Staff provide high-quality and purposeful learning experiences. For example, in the toddler room, children listen attentively to a story. Children are encouraged to recite a story through the use of the repetitive story language and the use of actions. They then enjoy taking part in a planned sensory activity linked to the story. As children excitedly explore the grass, ice, mud and water, it generates rich spoken language opportunities. Children have positive attitudes to their learning and behave very well. They enjoy being challenged. Children are focused in their play, showing high levels of involvement.

The setting has strong links with the community. For example, children attend sessions at the local library designed to develop children's communication and language skills. Children also visit the local supermarket and the local market, where they purchase fruit and vegetables. This links to one of the four core experiences that the manager and staff have planned where children grow and nurture plants and produce. Children enjoy learning about planting fruit and vegetables.

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

• The manager and staff plan an ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of all children. They have a clear view of what they want children to learn. Staff encourage children to develop their independence skills. For example, children learn how to hold pencils and other tools correctly and with control.
• Babies show they feel secure in the care of the baby room staff. They seek familiar adults out for comfort and reassurance. For example, when babies gesture they want support to build a tower, staff are quick to respond. Staff take every opportunity to speak to children to develop their language and communication skills. For example, staff identify the colours of the blocks as they hand these over to the babies. This encourages babies to repeat these words as they play.
• Children eagerly participate in activities, developing positive attitudes to learning. Staff reinforce their expectations of children's behaviour exceedingly well. For example, staff support children to share the resources and they model how they can do this. Children demonstrate that they clearly know what is expected of them.
• Staff hold discussions with children about their teeth if opportunities arise. However, they do not consistently plan purposeful learning opportunities to support children's understanding of how to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
• Staff use assessment effectively to check what children know and can do. They use this information to plan what they need to teach and provide interesting and challenging activities. For example, staff provide cross-curricular learning opportunities when older children enjoy searching for and identifying minibeasts. They plan further opportunities for children to colour in, cut and glue a range of shapes to make a butterfly. Staff question children effectively, supporting their mathematical skills.
• Staff promote children's speaking and listening skills extremely well. They use adult-led activities to introduce new vocabulary and to ask children thought-provoking questions. Children respond well and are good communicators. They enjoy listening to stories and use this to aid their early language skills.
• Staff know the signs linked to online safety that may indicate a child is at risk of harm, and understand how to identify and report concerns. However, staff have not fully considered how to promote children's growing awareness of how to safely use the internet and digital technology.
• Leaders give staff well-being high priority. Meetings are held regularly with staff where leaders check how they are managing with their workload. Staff receive supervision sessions where feedback is provided to develop their practice. Staff report that working at the setting is like being part of a family.
• Parents are complimentary of the nursery and speak very highly of the staff team. They receive regular updates about their children's time at the setting. For example, monthly newsletters are provided and the nursery regularly updates an online platform. Parents confirm that their children have developed their skills, confidence and knowledge since attending the nursery. They told the inspector that the setting is 'fantastic' and they would 'recommend the setting to anybody'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• clarify how children's awareness of online safety will be consistently promoted by staff
• refine the curriculum for oral hygiene, so that children's skills and knowledge in this area are consistently supported by staff.