Little Owls Nursery New Bewerley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's behaviour is exemplary. This is because leaders and staff securely embed routines and consistently apply their high expectations. Children immediately respond to staff's requests and work harmoniously alongside each other. Children feel very safe in the nursery. They demonstrate this as they chat to themselves or burst into song, feeling free to express themselves. Babies bob up and down on their feet in response to staff. They take their first steps and walk towards familiar staff, giggling with joy.

The interactions between staff and children are exceptional. Staff maintain a constant focus on developing children's vocabulary. Each week, the nursery has a focus on a new word and staff use real objects to support children's understanding. Staff repeat the words that children say and add new words into sentences to extend children's communication skills. They engage children in discussions and reflect back on previous learning to develop their conversational skills. For instance, children recall what they found inside a pumpkin. They discuss the features of constructions they have made, proudly showing off their work.

Children have the skills they need to be ready for school and beyond. The atmosphere in all rooms is calm and purposeful. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), demonstrate high levels of concentration on activities. They make excellent progress towards the intended learning goals. Staff plan a rich and very ambitious curriculum. They use a range of core stories, rhymes and poems to deepen children's understanding. Staff read to children with expression, capturing children's interests. This is demonstrated when children, who are playing outside on bicycles, pull up and stop to listen to a story because of the way that staff read.

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

• Staff consistently develop children's mathematical vocabulary. They address any misconceptions that children may have immediately. This helps children to develop their mathematical skills to a high standard. Children count conkers from a large group and match the right amount to a numeral. Staff encourage children to recount when they make a mistake and clarify their confusion between the numerals three and eight. This helps children to immediately correct their errors and challenges their thinking.
• Children are encouraged to solve problems about size. For instance, as children build structures with blocks, staff develop their vocabulary linked to size. Staff talk about the plank that children walk on being 'narrow'. They offer young children a choice between a 'big' or a 'little' teapot.
• Children are highly motivated to learn and role play with enthusiasm. Young children pretend to make a cup of tea and carefully feed dolls in high chairs as they play in the home corner. Older children act out phone calls and create storylines as they play with the dolls' house and characters.
• Parents talk about the nursery passionately and are delighted with the progress which their children make. They say leaders go above and beyond to make sure that their children settle in happily. Leaders seek regular feedback from parents and offer a range of activities, such as mathematics bags, story sacks and parent workshops, to support children's learning at home.
• Children with SEND receive exceptional support. Staff quickly recognise and address any concerns to ensure that children receive the early interventions they need as swiftly as possible. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and external professionals to implement highly effective plans that enable all children to be fully included.
• Leaders are passionate about child development. They deliver high-quality training to staff, such as training about children's physical development and links to literacy skills as children grow. Staff talk knowledgeably about the techniques they use to develop children's physical movement. They deliver movement sessions that lead to children having strong control over their bodies. This, in turn, helps to develop children's later reading and writing skills.
• Staff use additional funding to support trips and experiences for children, such as farm visits, hatching eggs, parties at Eid and musical events. This helps children to understand diversity and culture. Children gain confidence and increased communication skills as they take part in these stimulating activities.
• Children demonstrate excellent autonomy in the environment. They know and understand the daily routines, putting on their own coats and shoes and washing their hands frequently without support. They serve themselves at lunchtime and independently return resources to the correct places when they have finished playing. Children consistently keep on trying as they develop skills such as fastening a zip.