Little Oaks Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in the nursery. They build strong relationships with the attentive caring staff who know them well. Staff working with the pre-school children plan sequenced learning opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge. For example, a recent topic on 'where we live' builds on children's home experiences and helps them understand what makes them unique. Staff take children to visit places in the local and wider community, such as farms, churches, mosques, small villages and the cathedral in the city centre, so children can learn about similarities and differences in where and how people live.

Children have fun outdoors. Younger children practise their physical skills as they climb on crates or walk along the planks balanced on top of the tyres. Pre-school children visit the 'forest' area on the school site. Staff help children to manage risks and keep themselves safe as they explore the outdoor environment. For example, when younger children ask for help to get down from the balance beams, staff hold out their hand and help them jump down. Older children readily recall the rules they need when playing in the 'forest'. They know not to run in case they trip, to stay within the boundaries so staff can see them and not to lick or pick anything as it could be poisonous or they might kill the plants.

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

• The manager and staff understand the need to have a curriculum that builds on children's skills and knowledge. They gather information from parents when children start and use observations of children as they play to see what they already know and can do. Key persons then plan for what children need to learn next. Staff working with the older children sequence learning well to enhance their development and to support children for the move into school.
• Staff working with the younger children help them settle. Babies spend time in the large, covered sandpit. Some children walk around the wooden bench pointing out what they can see over the school field. Others sit with staff and watch as staff scoop the sand and sprinkle it onto the floor. At times, it is not clear what the intent is for learning as staff are needed to calm and settle children. Staff are not able to motivate and engage other children in play and learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn and develop very well. There are superb relationships with parents. The special educational needs coordinator and key persons work in partnership with parents and other professionals to access additional support or funding to benefit the children's learning and development. Funding helps provide training for staff, additional equipment children may need or one-to-one support.
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff provide clear instructions and role model positive behaviours. Staff working with the toddlers talk with them about the consequences of their actions. For example, when children push others out of the way, staff talk about how this has made their friends sad and ask what they can do to make them happy again. Children say 'sorry' or offer a cuddle and receive praise from staff. Pre-school children explain that they can use the sand timer to share favourite toys.
• Staff use songs and rhymes to help develop younger children's language and communication skills. They use a 'song bag' with different toys for children to choose and then link the rhyme to the item children pull out. Children enjoy selecting the toys and some join in with the singing. Staff use signs as well as words to help children join in and learn new songs. However, staff try to let all children have a turn, which takes a long time. Some children lose interest, start playing with the toys and stop joining in with the singing.
• Older children take part in small-group times to enhance concepts and knowledge further. Staff have high expectations for pre-school children. They introduce mathematical concepts to build on skills and support children with the move into school. Children look at cards with coloured spots on and have to say how many they can see without counting. Staff check whether the children are correct by asking them to put up their fingers to the same number. Children recognise different combinations of three dots. When children struggle to make the connections, staff sensitively show them how to work out the answer, so children are keen to keep trying.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to notice and act to keep younger children engaged in large-group activities
• continue to improve staff knowledge so the intent of the curriculum for babies and younger children is even more precise and consistently builds on what they know and can do.