Melrose House Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children display growing levels of maturity. For example, on arrival, they shake hands with staff and happily say 'good morning'. Children's behaviour is good. They show that they feel safe and secure in the nursery. The warm and trusting relationships children develop with staff support their emotional well-being effectively.

Children respond positively to the high expectations for their learning and behaviour. For instance, they show good concentration as they are encouraged to exercise their hand-to-eye coordination during threading and mark-making activities. Children benefit well from playing in the garden. Younger and older children enjoy climbing up the small hill and driving ride-on toys. They practise scooping, mixing, filling and emptying containers while they play with water and sand. Children also have lots of fun as they dig for worms and make music with their peers. These play opportunities promote children's creative and physical skills successfully.

Children develop good independence skills. For example, they are encouraged to take responsibility for their personal care, including toileting. Children learn skills that are important for the next stage of their education.

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

• Leaders create a strong sense of teamwork. They communicate well with staff and help them to manage their workload. This has a positive impact on staff and children.
• Staff track children's progress well to help them to identify and address gaps in children's learning. As a result, children, including those with special educational and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. For example, children's communication and language skills are developing rapidly.
• Children enjoy group activities, particularly story and rhyme times. However, on occasions, staff do not ensure that group activities are without distractions. This does not fully support children's learning and enjoyment.
• Staff teach children to share and take turns. They can sometimes intervene too quickly when children experience conflicts during play. This does not allow children time to think and find age-appropriate solutions for themselves.
• Staff organise various outings, such as to museums and local parks, and invite visitors to the nursery to share their expertise. These activities successfully add to children's already broad and wide learning experiences.
• The curriculum for mathematics is strong. Staff incorporate mathematical concepts during activities and spontaneous play. This gives children the opportunity, for example, to practise their counting skills.
• Children receive lots of praise and encouragement from staff. This motivates children to engage with their peers and other people in meaningful ways. Children show good levels of social confidence.
• Staff develop strong links with external agencies and other professionals at local schools. For example, they invite teachers into the nursery to visit children and help to prepare them for their move on to school.
• Staff support children's understanding of diversity effectively. They do this in various ways, such as by celebrating cultural and religious festivals. In addition, staff display positive images of people and signs in other languages to raise children's awareness of similarities and differences between people.
• Leaders hold regular team meetings and offer staff opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. Recently, staff have completed phonics training to enhance their teaching of early reading. This has had a positive impact on children's knowledge of how to link letters to sounds.
• Leaders gather and use the views of parents to help to evaluate the quality of the provision effectively. For example, following feedback, leaders have increased communication with parents to ensure consistency in children's care and education. Parents and carers hold the staff in high regard. They value and appreciate the support they receive from staff, especially throughout the COVID- 19 pandemic.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review group activities to ensure that children's learning and enjoyment are fully supported
• extend opportunities for children to think and find solutions to the conflicts they face during play.