Little Owls Nursery (Carlisle) Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy and settled at this warm and welcoming nursery. Parents and carers praise the nurturing relationships the well-established staff team provide. Children feel safe and secure. Staff are excellent role models. They patiently and respectfully support children's emotional well-being. Babies gently help rock other babies to sleep. Older children show awareness of rules and boundaries and are kind to each other. They learn how to share and take turns. Toddlers are captivated by their favourite stories. They listen intently and join in enthusiastically with the parts that they remember. Children's behaviour is good.

Children make good progress and are confident, curious and excited explorers. Babies sprinkle autumn coloured rice from bowl to bowl, watching in awe as it pours. Toddlers practise balancing and stretching at afternoon yoga. Staff expertly ask questions, which ignite children's problem-solving skills. For instance, older children explore mixing colours and what happens when they combine two colours together. Real life and natural resources inspire children to investigate. Older children are intrigued how light changes shadows and shapes on a wall as they move coloured blocks across a projector. Babies develop large-muscle movements as they roll and chase small pumpkins across the floor in different directions. Laughter fills the air as older children imaginatively use cable reels as vehicles to transport themselves outdoors.

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

• Parents and carers are happy with the nurturing care their children receive. They compliment the amazing staff on their communication and commitment to building trusting relationships. Staff are flexible in meeting children's individual needs. Children feel safe and secure and so ready to learn.
• The manager is passionate and committed in improving the setting. Regular supervisions support staff with innovative training and ideas to develop the environment. The manager understands what children need to learn. They share this curriculum intent with staff. However, occasionally, some staff do not always fully implement their curriculum knowledge to support children's learning. As a result, not all children engage in the learning intentions of the session.
• Staff have a strong focus on children's language skills. Children talk with enthusiasm about home life, likes and dislikes. Staff skilfully model language and introduce new words. They give clear explanations and ask questions to provoke curiosity and problem-solving skills. Children develop good vocabulary. However, on occasion staff do not introduce key words in the children's home languages. This impacts on the ability of children who speak English as an additional language to understand routines and communicate.
• Care practices are good. Staff role model good hygiene routines. They involve children in learning about healthy living. For example, choosing fruit and vegetable sticks at snack time, the effects of exercise on their bodies and the importance of handwashing. Children manage their personal hygiene needs appropriately for their age.
• Staff weave mathematical language into everyday activities. For example, children count out food items for breakfast. Toddlers count to 10 and recognise numbers in stories. Older children paint and build, investigating size and shape. Children use mathematical language in their play with confidence.
• Children learn about those who help them in the community through supportive staff. They plan visits from the emergency services. This helps children develop respectful attitudes. However, staff do not always further explore the culture and heritage of all children attending the nursery. Resources and books reflecting differences in families are limited in everyday play. This means children's understanding of diversity is less well developed.
• Children's emotional development is embedded well. Children form strong bonds with staff and benefit from caring and attentive interactions. Staff help children to identify and name their feelings using props and books. This helps boost their confidence and emotional well-being. Therefore, children are confident, resilient and curious to explore.
• Children with special educational needs/and or disabilities receive good care and support. Trained staff work with external professionals to identify and meet children's needs. They make good progress from their starting points.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen supervisions further to focus on curriculum implementation, ensuring staff know how to support children's learning to the highest level
• ensure there are opportunities for all children to engage and celebrate their heritage, home language and culture through everyday events that reflect their home life.