Little Owls Nursery Bramley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Practitioners provide children with a very safe and caring environment. Children confidently enter and very happily access all areas of the setting. Children eagerly seek out practitioners to show them their models and artwork. They are extremely happy in this setting. Practitioners have very high expectations for children's behaviour. Older children teach younger children how to mix when playing in the mud kitchen. They wait for their turn and share resources. Children understand staff's expectations. They respond immediately when practitioners remind them of the rules about running inside. Children's behaviour is exemplary.

Teaching is outstanding. Practitioners teach with passion, energy and purpose. Their interactions with children are of a very high quality and contribute well to delivering the curriculum intent. Practitioners maximise all opportunities to extend children's learning. For instance, when children use play dough and a selection of resources to create models of bees, practitioners teach children about beehives and the process of making honey. Children learn about the queen bee and worker bees. Practitioners use skilful questioning to encourage children's recall from their previous teaching. Children confidently recall that honey bees help plants to grow and transfer pollen to flowers.

All children make excellent progress, particularly those children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Practitioners use visual prompts and signs to help all children to communicate. They make sure that they remove communication barriers for all children so that they can access all areas of learning.

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

• Practitioners sequence the curriculum and provide clear challenge for children. For example, when young children explore shredded paper looking for pretend minibeasts, practitioners count as they do so. Practitioners teach children early numbers and the different colours of the minibeasts. Older children learn about about the insects' habitat, what they eat, and their similarities and differences. Staff make sure that children consistently embed their knowledge before moving them on.
• Children develop their independence from a young age extremely well. They complete self-registration using picture and name cards. Practitioners teach babies to take off their shoes and place them in a shoe box. Older children put on and take off their shoes and coats for outside play. At mealtimes, children self-serve their meals and pour their own drinks. Children develop the skills they need for when they start school.
• Children explore the outside area, such as looking for minibeasts. Young children use spoons to search in a tyre filled with soil. Older children use a checklist of minibeasts and explore the wider environment. They use magnifying glasses to investigate. Practitioners teach children new language, such as 'caterpillar', 'worm', 'spider' and 'woodlice'. Children consistently develop new language.
• Children have exciting opportunities for physical play. Practitioners teach children the skills to use a tree swing. Children excitedly ask to go faster. Their joyful laughter can be heard throughout the setting. Practitioners teach children about speed and risk, and help children to develop their core muscle strength.
• Children develop a deep understanding of the world. They grow vegetables and flowers. Practitioners teach children about life cycles and children have opportunities to learn about recycling. They teach children which items are recyclable. The manager uses funding to take children on trips, such as to the library and art gallery, and to support all children to fully access the curriculum.
• Practitioners support children to use their imaginations. When children use wooden planks to create bridges, practitioners support them with physical guidance. They slowly let go of children, challenging them to persevere when they encounter difficulty. Practitioners celebrate children's achievements when they successfully master the skill of balancing. This helps children to develop their confidence.
• Practitioners support children to develop their problem-solving skills. They encourage babies to explore shape sorters. Practitioners teach them about shape and colours. Young children excitedly remove and replace large jigsaw pieces. Practitioners encourage children to try when they struggle. Children develop their small muscle skills.
• Partnership working is excellent. The setting has links with schools and professionals to support children's continuity of care. Practitioners provide home learning packs to parents. They share strategies to support their children's behaviour and resources for visual learning. This ensures consistency in children's social development.
• The manager carries our regular supervision sessions with staff. This ensures that their teaching, skills and children's learning are rapidly progressing. Practitioners consistently report high levels of support for their emotional well-being. This impacts positively on the care and education which they provide for all children.