Magdalen Nursery - St George's Grove

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn and how to achieve the curriculum objectives. The focus of the setting is for children to become independent and confident learners who have effective communication skills. The success of this is evident when children are eager to work together to build a marble run. They gather resources available, use their imagination and share their ideas to complete the structure.

The curriculum is well balanced and stimulating. Staff know their key children well. This includes understanding their individual needs and what makes them unique. Staff use what they know about children's personalities and preferences to respond sensitively to their needs. They provide activities for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make progress in all areas of learning. Children have good opportunities to explore using their senses. For example, they use wooden spoons to scoop, stir and mix brightly coloured foam. Children are deeply engaged in their solitary, collaborative and cooperative play.

Staff help children to learn how to identify and manage their emotions. They have adjusted the environment to help support children to relax. For example, children can access some hideaways within the room where they can go if they are overwhelmed. Staff remind children of different ways to manage their emotions. This supports children's emotional development and helps them learn to self-regulate.

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

• Leaders know their staff team well. They ensure that staff are effectively supported to help them fulfil their role as best as possible. The management team correctly identifies the areas of strength of staff's practice. Managers know where improvements need to be made and provide further support to help continually raise the standard of teaching. Staff have many opportunities to develop professionally and progress their career within the setting.
• Staff are passionate about their roles and genuinely care about the children in their care. They want children to have the best start in life and monitor their progress closely. They work together with the families, the setting's special educational needs coordinator and other professionals to ensure that early help is put in place. This helps all children, including those who require additional support, to make the best progress possible.
• Staff effectively promote children's developing communication and early writing. They encourage babies who respond confidently as they choose chunky chalks to make bold marks on paper. They clearly pronounce key vocabulary for babies who determinedly attempt to copy them. Staff challenge older children to recognise different colours as they play with toy minibeasts. Children learn to name insects and minibeasts such as beetles. This helps children to develop strong communication and language skills.
• Staff prioritise supporting children's independence and encourage children to try to do things for themselves. For example, they encourage children early on to follow good hygiene procedures and to get water for themselves. This supports children's healthy lifestyles well. Staff ensure that children follow and understand the routines of the day. Older children know when it is free play and time for circle time activities and when to wash hands. However, children do not have regular learning opportunities maximised during lunchtime and older children's group times.
• Throughout the nursery, staff promote children's love of books and stories very well. They responsively make the most of opportunities to engage children in exploring books. Consequently, babies select and competently handle hard books to look at. Older children choose their own books and listen attentively as key persons read to them.
• Overall, staff deployment is effective. Staff interact and supervise children's activities appropriately. They engage with children during their play and routine activities. This helps build on what they want children to learn next and help to develop their interests further. However, at times, the deployment of staff does not ensure that the emerging needs of younger children are consistently met.
• The leaders and staff team create opportunities to foster partnerships with parents through various events. These include, for example, Father's Day and superhero, Sports Day and summer party celebrations which parents attend. Parents say they are very pleased with the quality of care their children receive. They feel staff provide good learning experiences for their children, such as visits to the park and library. They say that transitions such as starting the nursery and moving on to school are well managed. Children settle well and make new friends.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to review staff deployment so they meet younger children's emerging needs more closely
• review the organisation of routines, particularly at lunchtimes and older children's larger group times, so that children's learning is maximised.