Little Owls Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed warmly into the nursery. Staff prepare the rooms with activities that they know children will enjoy and which will meet their learning needs. Children have lots of opportunities to build on their physical skills. Staff teach babies to scoop up foam and pretend to make an ice cream. Older children learn to use spades and trowels as they dig in the garden. Staff teach children how to problem solve, asking them to come up with their own solutions to problems, and staff support them with decision making. Young children enjoy listening to stories and turning the pages of books.

Staff show immense pride in the emotional literacy skills they teach children as a focus of their curriculum. Older children show the impact of this as they calmly explain to staff when and why they are feeling sad. They clearly articulate what would make them feel happy again, and staff are reactive to their needs. Babies and younger children seek out their familiar adults when they need a cuddle or reassurance. Children behave very well and follow the rules that staff provide. They listen carefully to instructions and follow them with ease. Older children are very confident talking to visitors and show an inquisitive nature as they ask questions in a friendly manner.

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

• Leaders have a well-defined intent for their curriculum. They have clear expectations of the life skills they want children to learn. Staff deliver the curriculum well and provide a range of activities which help children build on their independence. Children demonstrate that the curriculum has a positive impact on their development. Children soon leaving to start school are very confident and ready for their next stage of learning. Children are independent with self-care needs, such as blowing their noses and washing their hands. They sit happily at the table with their friends, serve themselves lunch and confidently pour drinks.
• The arrangements to help children settle in are effective. All the children are calm and happy. Staff conduct a home visit before each child starts at the nursery. These help staff build relationships with children and enable them to discuss their routines at home. Staff understand that children need to feel safe and secure before they can progress in their development. They thoughtfully plan transitions and deploy staff effectively to give children time to bond with their new key person before moving to the next group room.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children's expected stages of development and know when a child is not meeting the milestones they would expect. They swiftly make referrals when needed and seek support from external agencies. Staff provide a range of targeted intervention plans for children at risk of falling behind in their development. As a result, children with SEND make excellent progress from their starting points.
• Overall, staff focus on helping children to develop their communication and language skills. Staff narrate children's play, and some staff model new words clearly for children to copy. They ask thoughtful questions and give children the time to use their critical thinking skills. However, less confident staff occasionally ask several questions in quick succession and do not give children enough time to process and respond to the question. In addition, younger children are sometimes encouraged to say words such as 'tar', which does not help them understand or use the correct vocabulary for thank you.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. The management team are passionate about involving parents in their children's learning. They offer many opportunities for parents to visit the nursery and participate in reading mornings and other family events. All parents know what their children need to work on next. Parents state staff share information about how to help children achieve this. Staff also provide learning sacks that families can borrow. These include tailored activities to help children meet their next steps. Staff also offer a library for families to borrow children's books. Leaders and staff support families who struggle to complete forms such as SEND or school application forms.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff skills to help them consistently support children's communication and language development.