Marks Gate Children's Centre Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children warmly. They help children to feel safe and secure, and children settle in well. Staff engage children in conversations. They babble back and forth with babies and hold lovely conversations with older children, such as about the weather. Staff offer children reassurances and cuddles when needed, helping them to settle quickly if they are upset. They provide children with the emotional security they need to flourish in this inviting nursery.

The manager has developed a broad and balanced curriculum that supports children to develop their skills and knowledge well across all areas of learning. Staff know children well and have high expectations of them. They support children to develop a deep understanding of different emotions and plan activities, such as 'breathing buddies', to support children to manage their emotions. Staff work with parents and external professionals to plan effectively for children's learning and development. This helps all children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress.

Staff support children to learn to follow rules and routines well. This helps children to develop a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff also help children to develop healthy attitudes. For example, they plan opportunities for children to plant their own fruits and vegetables. Once grown, children use these to prepare fresh and nutritious meals for their lunch.

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

• Key persons know their key children well. They understand what children can do and what they need to learn next. Staff plan resources and activities to support children to practise skills and develop their knowledge. They work closely with parents and provide examples of learning strategies that parents can use at home to support their children's learning further.
• Staff act as good role models. They provide positive praise to children when they share and manage their self-care well. Staff remind children of the different strategies they can use to manage their emotions. This supports children to behave well and demonstrate good behaviour consistently.
• Children who speak English as an additional language receive good support. Staff talk about children's home languages and cultures. They obtain key phrases from parents in children's home languages and use these to support children develop their language and communication skills. Babies learn to use Makaton signs, such as 'hello'. This helps to develop their early language.
• Overall, staff use good questioning skills to check children's understanding and guide their learning. However, at times, staff do not consider ways to extend and further challenge children's learning. For example, occasionally, they do not build on children's prior knowledge, such as using mathematical concepts, in particular the language related to measure, when children play with water.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and value the guidance and support they receive. They feel well informed about their children's learning and development. Parents comment on the positive progress their children have made at the nursery.
• The manager has rigorous systems in place to support staff to develop their individual practice. She ensures that staff access tailored training, which is monitored and reviewed for making sure that it is effective. This supports staff to develop their practice well. Staff are complimentary of the support that managers provide and express that they feel valued.
• Staff plan opportunities for children to visit the residents in the local care home and share baked goods with them. Staff also plan activities, such as delivering care packages to the local homeless people. This supports children to develop respect and empathy for others.
• The nursery works closely with the local farm. Children regularly visit the farm and learn about the different animals and their habitat, as well as the life cycles of different animals. Staff use these visits to support children to develop their knowledge of the world around them well.
• Managers and staff teach children to develop their knowledge and understanding of sustainable practice well. For example, they plan opportunities for children to germinate seeds, such as avocado seeds. In addition, staff teach children about the importance of recycling and ensure that opportunities for recycling are built into their daily routines. This supports children to develop a sense of responsibility in caring for the environment.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use knowledge of what children know and can do to provide further challenge for children and extend their learning.