Mary P's Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this calm, spacious setting and receive high-quality care. The leadership team has developed a bespoke curriculum to flow throughout the nursery to maximise indoor and outdoor play. The practitioners carefully plan for the children to be in small groups, as well as having a key person. As a result, children are confident and show they feel safe and secure. Younger children happily leave their parents.

The practitioners plan highly motivating learning opportunities to engage children in their play. They make 'pizza faces', tasting new foods and have fun making pictures as they talk about their homes. Practitioners sing songs and read stories to children throughout the day. Older children eagerly listen to what practitioners are saying. There are squeals of excitement as they get ready to play the next exciting parachute game.

All the practitioners value and respect children's choices. For example, children show they want to play in the soft-play area after snack, others want to play outside and have a story later. Practitioners adapt the curriculum delivery to enable children to build their interests and ideas. The children's behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and kind to each other. The practitioners are excellent role models.

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

• The dedicated leadership team is passionate about developing a skilled workforce. All practitioners receive high levels of support to build their knowledge and skills sets. The experienced practitioners are excellent role models to apprentices. For example, they show how to soothe a child during a nappy change by singing and making it a special bonding time. The training and modelling means all children receive high-quality teaching.
• Practitioners continuously monitor and reflect on children's progress exceptionally well. Monthly room review meetings enable the practitioner to plan 'wow' activities. These focus on a particular area the children need to learn. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents to ensure gaps in learning are swiftly shared. They seek support from outside agencies, to help with targeted interventions. Individual learning plans are put into place. These are regularly reviewed with parents and built upon. This enables children to make excellent progress, ready for their next phase of learning.
• Children learn about emotions and how to manage feelings extremely well. They intently listen to stories, such as 'Daisy Dragon'. The practitioner encourages the children to describe times that have made them happy or scared. They explore how colours can represent feelings. As part of the story, they learn ways to manage their own feelings. For example, breathing techniques to help them feel calm. This helps to equip the children to have the skills to recognise and manage their own feelings.
• Children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills, indoors and outdoors. Children practise their jumping and balancing skills in the large outdoor area, receiving praise as they think up new games. They skilfully weave between each other, making sure they avoid bumping into their friends.
• Children develop excellent self-care skills. They line up to go to the toilet independently and wash their hands. Younger children feed themselves and wipe their faces. The practitioners use every opportunity to develop children's learning. At snack time, younger children hand out plates and cups. Older children count to check there are enough. They practise reading and recognising their names on the place mats.
• Practitioners expertly capture children's attention as they learn about the world around them. The children take turns learning how to make 'colourful erupting volcanoes'. Careful questioning from practitioners encourages the children to express their ideas and predict what might happen next. The children learn new words, such as 'baking powder, vinegar' and 'reaction', to develop their communication and language even further.
• The practitioners provide detailed feedback about their child's day to parents. There is also an online platform to communicate and support parents. Social events are put on throughout the year, such as Father's Day breakfasts. The nursery attends local community events and takes part in the yearly parade. Parents speak extremely positively about the practitioners.