Lower Willingdon Pre-School Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are exceedingly happy and flourish at this exceptional nursery. Highly dedicated staff forge extremely strong relationships with children and their families. Children arrive excited and eager to start their day. They are greeted individually by staff who support them to quickly settle in. The passionate staff thoughtfully plan an abundance of rich, stimulating activities and play experiences. Staff skilfully intertwine these with children's individual curiosities and in-the-moment fascinations. They adapt and personalise every part of children's daily experience to meet their individual needs. As such, children delve into self-selected activities and instantly immerse themselves in play.

Staff recognise the importance of promoting children's communication skills. The interactions children receive from staff are plentiful. All staff are highly skilled at ensuring their every communication with children is of exceptionally high quality. Their knowledge of each individual child is awe inspiring. In turn, staff know how to precisely promote each child's language development. They consistently broaden children's vocabulary as they expose them to new words such as 'excavate' and 'aroma'. They explain their meanings and how to use them in context. Staff engross children in back-and-forth conversations, where children's confidence blossoms as they share their own thoughts, ideas and opinions. These opportunities set children up to become extremely confident and successful communicators.

Staff are superb role models for children. This significantly contributes to children's impeccable behaviour. For instance, children show each other how to achieve a new skill. They provide encouragement when needed and delight in each other's success. These early opportunities enable children to grow into positive and inclusive members of the community.

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

• The passionate management team works with its staff at every opportunity. Together, their dedication and continuous drive to strengthen the opportunities children have access to is inspiring. Staff's individual expertise is recognised, and they are empowered to share their ideas and access targeted training. Staff's well-being is a priority for the management team, who ensures effective and meaningful staff supervision sessions are in place. This supports staff to continually strengthen their own practice and continuously improve outcomes for children, as well as their families.
• All staff work tirelessly to ensure children have access to a highly ambitious and effective curriculum. Staff communication is faultless, and together they deliver a curriculum that is personalised for each child and precisely builds on children's knowledge and skills. Staff know what children have learned and remembered and what they want to teach them next and why. As a result of the rich experiences staff provide, children's attitudes to learning are inspirational. They are highly motivated, curious and engaged throughout the day. All children, including those most capable, make excellent progress in their learning. This prepares them for future success.
• The relationship staff have with children is marvellous. They are attentive, caring and understand the fundamental role they have in children's early experience of education. Children are captivated by staff. For instance, children relish group times, where they join in storytelling, proudly practise their early letter sounds, and confidently recite poems. Children's faces light up, smiles erupt, and happy interactions are heard during every activity. This supports children's personal, social and emotional skills exceptionally well.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) receives training to support the children she oversees. She has a wealth of knowledge that is shared with all staff. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are incredibly well supported. Staff work harmoniously with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive consistent, targeted support. Children with identified speech and language delay receive additional support from trained staff. This ensures these children are quickly identified and receive early intervention. As a result, these children are supported to make excellent progress alongside their friends.
• Children are empowered to learn about keeping themselves healthy. Staff work tirelessly with parents and carers to ensure children receive healthy foods throughout the day and at home. In addition, children are taught the importance of staying hydrated and why. For instance, children use a visual aid to measure how much water they have drunk. This also allows staff to monitor children's fluid intake. Children take part in purposeful discussions with staff and friends about why drinking is so important, as well as healthy foods. This helps children learn about their own bodies.
• Robust procedures are in place to ensure that children who have allergies are kept safe. Every care is taken to carefully adapt the environment and activities that enable all children, including those with allergies, to be fully included. Children's individual needs are met with care and attention to detail by all staff.
• Staff actively promote children's independence and curiosity through a variety of activities. For instance, children investigate their natural environment during forest-school sessions. They use real tools and enjoy pond dipping for newts. They respond to the rules and boundaries within the outdoor space. For instance, children are 'green dragons' when they are safely outside the campfire circle and understand 'red dragons' means they could be in danger. Staff provide ample opportunities for children to consider risk as they learn to keep themselves and others safe.
• All staff recognise the importance of parental partnership. They go above and beyond to provide tailored guidance, advice and support to families. Parents and carers report their children receive exceptional care and superb education, including those with SEND. Furthermore, parents report their children make 'phenomenal progress' and feel differences are 'positively celebrated and children always included'.