London Mulberry Nursery And Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive at the nursery and separate from their families with ease. They quickly settle into the routine of the day and become engrossed in their play. For example, older children carefully pour water into different containers, transfixed as they watch the water move. Younger children confidently tell the inspector, 'This is a plane', as they complete transport puzzles.

Staff have extremely high expectations for children's behaviour, which is exemplary. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and are polite and considerate. They understand how important it is to look after their environment. For instance, children carefully tuck their chairs under tables, without prompting from staff. Staff showed genuine pride when younger children kindly offered the inspector balls and a doll when she came into the room.

Children are highly independent and are confident to make their own choices and lead their own learning. For example, older children carefully brought a pestle and mortar with egg shells to the table and explained in detail to the inspector how to tap the shell slowly to break it up. Staff use their knowledge and experience to provide a stimulating and challenging curriculum. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who receive additional funding, make secure progress in their learning.

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

• The manager is dedicated and passionate. She has welcomed guidance and support from the local authority and addressed the actions raised at the previous inspection. The manager continuously reflects on practice and has made positive changes. For example, all staff have undertaken training in supporting children's behaviour. Staff are now more confident in helping children to express how they feel. The impact of this training is highly evident in children's outstanding behaviour.
• Parents speak highly of the staff, saying that their children love attending and progress well. They feel that their children are very happy and settled in the nursery. Staff provide parents with regular information about their children's learning. Parents comment that their children 'love singing' and appreciate how nurturing staff are.
• Children enjoy the large garden space outside. They eagerly put their coats on and go out, to choose a bike or truck to move around on. This provides opportunities for them to develop physically. Children explore their local area, for example through visits to the local shops to buy fruit and vegetables. This further supports their knowledge and understanding of the world.
• Staff plan an exciting curriculum based on children's interests. For example, children enjoy putting their chef's hats and aprons on to bake cookies. Staff planned this activity based on their previous observations of children making 'cookies' in the outside home corner. Children carefully mix, pour and stir the ingredients. Staff are enthusiastic and comment and narrate on what children are doing. However, on occasion, staff do not consistently use opportunities to further extend children's learning even further.
• Staff understand that it is vital that children learn about cultures within and outside the nursery. They know that this gives children a sense of the differences between people in the world. During group music time, children showed the inspector that they have been learning a new Ghanaian song. They enthusiastically shook their tambourines and took turns using their hands to beat the drum as they sang.
• The manager and staff place a priority on helping children to develop their language skills at the nursery. Staff model good language skills to children. They encourage children to repeat words or copy actions to extend their communication during story time and when signing songs. Children are confident communicators and express themselves with ease. For example, as group activities come to an end, older children ask, 'Is it time for Zumba now?' Younger children brought soft toys to show the inspector, correctly telling her, 'This is an octopus.'
• Staff supervision sessions and support are effective. The manager ensures that regular discussions and group meetings enable staff to identify their own strengths and areas for improvement. Staff speak positively about their roles and how the manager's support and guidance promote their professional development. Staff's well-being is high.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to support staff to make even better use of interactions with children to build further on what they already know and further extend their language and vocabulary skills.