Little George's Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop a love of learning at this nursery. They benefit from a curriculum designed to provide them with rich and varied learning experiences that are new to them. Staff support children to develop the skills and confidence they will need throughout their education and into their adult lives. Children excitedly recall a recent trip on a train and show visitors the movements they have learned from a ballet class. They proudly share their achievements with staff as they manage to walk on stilts for the first time. Children develop positive attitudes to learning.

Staff know the children they care for well. They gather information from parents, colleagues and external agencies to ensure that they fully understand the needs and interests of their key children. Children are keen to join in with the exciting activities that staff deliver. They are supported well in transitions to the next room. Staff sensitively reassure them as they introduce them to the new environment. Children are happy, secure and developing positive relationships.

Children are supported to become independent. They are taught how to use the toilet and how to use cutlery at mealtimes. Children enjoy taking an active role in setting the table for lunch and helping to tidy away toys. They play happily alongside their friends and respond positively to the high expectations of staff. Children who struggle to regulate their behaviours are given additional support to help them to manage this. Children are becoming increasingly independent.

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

• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are incredibly well supported. Leaders carefully analyse the specific needs of each child. They work in close partnership with other professionals and parents to ensure that children receive the targeted help that they need. Children with SEND make significant progress from their starting points.
• There is a clear and ambitious curriculum in place that builds on children's knowledge and skills over time. Leaders make effective use of regular assessments to reflect on the strengths and areas for development in the curriculum. However, staff are not always clear about the stages of development and how children learn in some aspects of the curriculum. As a result, children's deep learning is not consistently promoted to the highest level.
• Children's early literacy skills are promoted well. They have access to an abundance of books, which staff read to them throughout the day. Leaders have considered which books link to their curriculum focus and ensure that children become immersed in these stories. This supports children to become familiar with key books and to make links between the stories that they have read. For example, as they grow cress seeds, they recall reading a story about a beanstalk growing. Children have learned to write their names and are developing their understanding of identifying different sounds in the environment. Children develop a love of books and literacy.
• Leaders are committed to ensuring that children learn about healthy lifestyles, including good oral health. They help children to brush their teeth at nursery and support families to access a dentist. Children excitedly show staff their teeth and say, 'I brushed my teeth at home.' Children eat home-cooked food at nursery and parents say that they regularly use the recipes that staff share with them to encourage their children to eat healthy foods at home. Children are developing their understanding of healthy lifestyles.
• Parents cannot speak highly enough of the staff and leaders. They say that the support that the nursery provides not only helps their children, but also makes a significant difference to their lives at home. Parents describe the 'amazing' progress that their children have made from their starting points. They say that they feel included in their child's education and understand how they can promote their children's next steps at home. Partnership working with parents is a particular strength of this nursery.
• Children's speech and language development is a priority at this nursery. Staff expertly support the communication of all children. They introduce new words to children and engage them in conversations as they play. Leaders use the knowledge of speech and language professionals to provide staff with the training they need to be able to effectively support children's language skills. All children are making significant progress in their language and communication.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's understanding of how children learn in all aspects of their development so that children's progress is consistently promoted to the highest level.