Lowesmoor Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have high ambitions for all children. The comprehensive curriculum is successfully implemented across the nursery. All children acquire the essential skills they need to ensure they are extremely well prepared for school. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on ensuring children become confident communicators. Staff enhance planned activities to include a focus on teaching language skills. For example, the use of puppets during story sessions helps to maintain children's attention and encourages two-way conversation between staff and children.

Staff are nurturing and comforting. Their soft and warm manner helps to create strong attachments with children, which make children feel safe and secure. Children show high levels of confidence. They are comfortable in their environment and engage in independent learning. Staff stay close to children and are skilled at recognising when they need to support their emotional well-being. The highly skilled staff are excellent role models. They teach children about rules and expectations, which children transfer into their own behaviours with others. As a result, children are happy, settled and motivated to learn.

Children are highly independent. Staff promote a 'can-do' attitude that encourages children to have a go at learning new skills. For example, the youngest children independently work out how to get their chair from a table and lift it to stack on top of others.

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

• The ambitious curriculum is explicitly understood by all staff. They use their expert knowledge of child development to sequence learning so that children build on their existing knowledge and skills. For example, staff fully understand the connection between strengthening large motor skills before children can go on to develop more intricate skills such as writing. Children use large equipment to practise balancing, climbing and jumping. Children, therefore, become competent in all areas of their physical development.
• Teaching is of the highest quality. Staff use a variety of ways to teach children. They implement visual timetables and signing and model language to maximise children's learning. They are tuned in to spontaneous teaching moments. For example, when children accidentally break a pumpkin open, staff seize the moment to extend children's knowledge. They describe the 'stringy' features and the seeds they can see. Staff provide opportunities for children to practise using their new knowledge throughout the day. As a result, children master their new skills, which strengthens their foundation for future learning.
• Children have ample opportunities to develop their imagination. Staff act out stories using props to enrich storytelling activities. Children laugh and show excitement as staff deliver different pets from the zoo. In addition, children spend time outdoors dressing up and using props to explore their own talents, such as singing and dancing. Children comment, 'I should be on a stage.' Staff join in children's play and take on different roles. This promotes high levels of self-esteem and boosts children's confidence.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make rapid progress. Leaders gather a wealth of information about children before they start at the nursery. This enables staff to identify any gaps in children's development at the earliest opportunity. Leaders have a toolkit of evidence-based strategies that they use with children while they wait for support from external agencies. They ensure any funding they receive is directed to improving learning experiences for children. Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to implement effective learning targets for children. As a result, many children make the progress they need without requiring external support.
• Children learn the skills they need to prepare them for school and beyond. Staff remind children of the nursery rules and demonstrate appropriate behaviours. Children use manners without prompting and are mindful of others. Routines across the nursery are well established and understood by all children. Staff are consistent in their interactions, which helps children to learn quickly. When children show appropriate behaviour, or master a new skill, staff provide them with a 'wow bell', which they ring to indicate their achievement. As a result, children develop a sense of pride and feel valued.
• Leaders are extremely passionate and reflective. They continuously review what they offer to children and build on the already excellent experiences they provide. Leaders research training options to ensure these will have the highest impact on staff knowledge and children's learning. They observe and monitor staff practice closely and have a solid understanding of where they need to focus their support and mentoring. Staff comment that they feel supported by leaders. This means that children benefit from experiences that are constantly improving.
• Leaders understand the importance of involving parents in their children's learning. They record video examples of how to teach particular skills to children. This supports parents to implement further learning at home. Leaders adapt ways in which they communicate information to accommodate all families. Parents' comments demonstrate that they are entwined in the nursery experience. They say that staff are skilled, learning is purposeful and children make huge progress in their learning. This enables a mutual understanding between the nursery and families and, consequently, improves outcomes for children.