Little Nemo Nursery Tufnell Park

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff value each child highly in this relaxed and warm environment. They greet each child with a smile and take time to reassure those who are adjusting back to nursery following holidays. Staff know all children well. They have high expectations of all children and manage their behaviour consistently and positively, based on each child's needs. Staff are good role models for children, and children behave in well. Staff ensure that children feel a strong sense of belonging, and, as a result, they are happy and feel secure.

Staff plan a range of interesting curriculum-based activities under themes, such as 'Pirates Day'. Older children enjoy searching for treasure buried in sand while younger ones discover treasure buried beneath shredded paper. Children engage well in the process of discovery and show delight when they find treasure. Staff ask children to name different shapes. They show them a circle shape and ask children to look out for circle shapes around the room. Children concentrate well as they balance across stepping stones as staff teach them to count. The curriculum is broad and varied, and children are motivated to learn. Leaders and staff ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well in their learning and development, and all children make good progress.

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

• Staff know children's individual needs well and plan activities based on these. Children concentrate well as they make fruit prints with paint on paper. Staff encourage children to mix colours together to make new ones. Younger children toss shredded paper into the air and watch it float down with glee. They explore the sounds made by rattling shakers. These activities support children's overall development, and leaders ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and challenging for all children.
• Children learn to share and to take turns well. Staff teach children how to use sand timers to support their understanding of sharing. This has a positive impact on children and supports them to understand routines and boundaries. As a result, they behave well.
• Leaders and staff are committed to supporting children with SEND and those they identify as children who may need additional support. They work closely with professionals and parents to form individual plans for children. Health professionals visit the nursery regularly to offer advice and strategies to staff to support children's development. This ensures that children make the best possible progress from their starting points.
• Staff work closely with parents and ensure that they are kept updated on children's progress. Staff help parents to support children's learning, for instance by directing them towards local courses on potty training. Parents borrow books from the nursery to share with their children at home. These strategies support children's learning at home.
• Leaders monitor and support staff well. They meet with staff regularly and spend time observing and feeding back to staff to build on their practice. Leaders identify the individual training needs of staff and ensure that they have regular training opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge. Leaders have supported staff through apprenticeship programmes to achieve level 3 qualifications in childcare. This helps to ensure that children are supported well in their learning and development.
• Leaders reflect on the performance of the nursery and obtain feedback from staff on their views about the nursery. They evaluate all areas and set goals for improvement. This helps to promote best outcomes for children.
• Staff sing songs with children and read stories to them to support their communication, language and literacy skills. However, at times, some staff tend to ask children questions that encourage limited responses. For example, they tend to ask children to name things, such as colours. At times, some staff do not give children sufficient time to respond to questions. This means that children are not always given opportunities to practise their language skills.
• Children show some aspects of independence. They wash their hands before eating and help to tidy away toys at the end of play. However, during routines such as snack times and mealtimes, staff tend to pour drinks and cut up fruit for most able children. This means that most able children are not given opportunities to make the best possible progress in their independence skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend staff's knowledge on ways to develop children's communication, language and literacy skills further
• provide more opportunities for most able children to develop their independence skills further.