Mayo Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to start their day at this setting, which prides itself on its homely, warm atmosphere. Staff eagerly greet children as they arrive, which supports children to settle really quickly. Children who have not yet been in attendance for more than two weeks happily access resources, interact with other children and take part in routines. Children demonstrate that they feel secure and happy. Staff are very good role models and enthusiastically engage in children's play, modelling and supporting children to be independent. Children enjoy taking part in routines and ensure that resources are tidied away in the correct place.

The curriculum is ambitious for all children and engages them in imaginative experiences that support their learning and development. Older children enjoy playing a matching game where they collect characters on a farm, noting their similarities and differences. Younger children enjoy watching in awe and wonder as they make tyre tracks on large pieces of paper using toy tractors. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to support children's developing skills.

Staff offer lots of encouragement and praise for children as they attempt new things. Children show they are determined and keep trying. For example, outside, children keep trying different ways to climb the climbing wall, and inside, children keep trying to manipulate dough to make snakes. Children listen carefully to staff, share resources and help one another. Children's behaviour is very good.

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

• The curriculum is flexible to support children's needs and focuses on supporting children to be confident and enthusiastic learners. Staff facilitate children's learning very well. For example, children explore a wide range of vegetables in the role play area, noting their colour, shape and scent. However, sometimes, the purpose of activities lack clarity, which means that children's focus is sometimes reduced.
• Support for children's mathematical development is a key strength. Children have opportunities to count out loud, match and sort items and explore patterns. In addition, children reference photos of every area that is set up in nursery. This means that at tidy-up time children place items in the correct order and are actively problem-solving. Children develop very good early mathematical awareness.
• Children's communication and language is supported well. For example, children observe changes in the small pond outside, and staff talk about types of plants being 'oxygenators'. Younger children are supported through a range of action rhymes where they can repeat phrases as they sing. However, at times, staff ask questions in quick succession and do not leave enough time for children to answer. This does not consistently support children's developing communication.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff regularly observe children as they play and identify areas that children may find challenging. Staff plan activities to close any gaps in learning, offer a range of different support strategies and work closely with a wide range of professionals. All children make good progress.
• Staff support children to understand about making healthy food choices. For example, they consider food choices in packed lunch boxes and discuss sustainability as unwanted food is placed in a compost bin. Children enjoy outdoor play every day where they enjoy riding bikes and balancing on stepping stones. In addition, they enjoy activities targeted to support their fine motor skills in preparation for early mark making. Children are confident in their physical abilities.
• Partnerships with parents are very good. Staff invite parents to contribute to processes of assessment, give ideas for learning at home and share progress updates regularly throughout the year. Parents share that the nursery 'is really homely' and children are 'happy, content and developing well'. These partnerships help to provide a consistency of care for children.
• Partnerships with other professionals are in place. Staff work with local authority advisors and welcome specialist teachers into the setting to support children's individual needs. As children prepare to transition to school, staff invite teachers into the setting to discuss children's needs. These partnerships support children as they move to the next stage in their learning.
• Leadership and management is very good. Leaders support staff through inductions, supervision meetings and regular staff meetings. Training is targeted to develop the knowledge of the staff team. For example, staff have recently attended a course on supporting mathematics. This has prompted staff to consider how mathematics is promoted across the setting. Training has a positive impact on children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that the intent of every activity is really clear for every member of staff so that children's learning and development is consistently supported
• provide enough time for children to listen and formulate a response when a question is asked to support communication and language.