Little Stars at the Oaks

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their day in this vibrant and exciting nursery environment. Staff create a well-organised and welcoming space for children to explore, learn and develop. Children are kind, caring and motivated learners. They enjoy participating in cooperative play with their peers, as well as adult-led activities. Staff know children well and confidently follow their interests and ideas when planning activities and resources. Children develop their love of books and stories through plentiful independent access across the nursery. Children also have numerous cosy spaces to listen to stories that staff read.

Children are safe and secure. They rise to staff's high expectations and are respectful to their peers and other adults. Children build strong relationships with the enthusiastic, caring and friendly staff. They learn to play well with others. Staff skilfully help children to build their confidence and independence. Children learn how to take care of themselves and live healthily. For example, they regularly spend time outside engaged in meaningful physical activities. Staff teach children how to support their bodies through healthy food and drink. Parents and carers overwhelmingly appreciate the support their children and families receive. They praise the confidence and independence that their children achieve in the nursery.

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

• Staff receive effective supervision sessions and coaching to help them to develop their skills. They regularly undertake training online, as well as through team events. Staff work collaboratively with leaders across most aspects of the nursery. They comment that their well-being is given a high priority by the management team, and they feel valued.
• Leaders ensure that staff monitor children's development effectively. Staff use the information they gather from parents when children first start, alongside their own observations, to understand what children already know and can do. They then use this information to plan for what children need to learn next. Staff quickly identify where children may need additional support and plan successfully to narrow any gaps in their development.
• Staff use shared strategies to promote children's safety and behaviour. For instance, staff remind children about 'golden rules', such as using their 'walking feet' indoors and 'kind hands'. Staff give children examples and the reasons why such rules are important. However, the provider has not extended this to help children to learn about using technology safely. This does not fully support children's early understanding of how to keep themselves safe in all areas of life.
• The strong key-person system ensures that children feel confident and receive good support. This enables children to feel motivated to take part in activities. Overall, children behave very well. Staff quickly establish why any children may be upset and comfort them lovingly to have them back learning soon after. Staff plan using children's interests to motivate their learning. For example, they use dinosaurs to help children to learn about mathematical concepts and complicated vocabulary.
• Children are confident communicators. Staff provide strong support for children's language skills. They give children time to think and process a response. Staff help children to recall their previous learning, which allows a context for new learning. Children develop a love of books. A carefully considered range of fiction and non-fiction books are available across different activities and areas. This introduces children to exciting new vocabulary and experiences.
• Staff make good use of routines to help children to become increasingly independent. For example, toddlers start to manage putting on and taking off their coats so that by the time they start pre-school, they need little help. Older children self-serve cereals, drinks and slice their own fruit. Staff encourage children to do as much as they can for themselves. As a result, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Parents are very positive about the nursery. They confirm that there is good communication, including daily opportunities to talk to their children's key person. Parents comment on how well staff work with them to be consistent for children, such as when they drop their children off at the nursery.
• Staff make parents aware of bilingual staff members, who support children and families by speaking in their home languages while other staff learn key words and phrases. This helps children to settle quickly. Leaders provide good support for families who may have challenges, helping to ensure that all children receive good experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to include teaching about the safe use of technology in the curriculum to enhance how children learn to keep themselves safe.