Mendip House Nursery & Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's personal and emotional development progresses very well at this nursery. Staff build strong relationships with them. They show genuine care for children. New babies are very sensitively supported. They soon settle, enjoying a cuddle with staff. Staff are very attentive to children's care needs, supporting their well-being closely. When older children come in from their water play outside, staff quickly help them change so that children do not get cold. They notice if children are feeling or acting a little differently. They give them cuddles, reassurance and check them carefully, continuing to monitor them to ensure they are feeling better.

Key persons within each room work together to form a planned, sequenced curriculum, outlining age-appropriate activities focused on children's individual needs. Babies relish sensory play focused on their interest in farm animals. Staff plan this carefully in a raised tray to encourage babies to develop their leg and core strength and help them progress their walking skills. Babies excitedly explore different textures, such as 'gloop' and dried food items. Staff motivate children in the preschool room to develop their dexterity and creativity in various activities. They skilfully model ideas and techniques for them as they explore play dough, developing their hand strength and dexterity. Toddlers and pre-school children persevere to copy these and develop and extend their skills very well, showing positive attitudes. Children explore the marks they can make. Staff inspire their interest, offering them age-appropriate resources. Babies use large movements to make marks with chunky chalks outside. Older children select pencils or pens and form shapes and begin to represent things as they draw items, building useful skills to prepare them for the next stage in their learning.

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

• The staff team follow strong, clear practices for observing and assessing children's development, and they outline any gaps and suitable next steps in children's learning. Nursery management and children's key persons conscientiously work with parents and outside professionals to promptly gain any required additional help for children. They thoughtfully implement targeted programmes of support, effectively closing gaps in children's learning and ensuring that they can all reach their potential.
• Staff model speech and suitable words for babies to develop their expression as they play with farm animals, for example. Staff motivate and empower children in the pre-school room to build their confidence at circle time, helping them to discuss how they are feeling. Older children then show their growing self-confidence as they play with their friends, communicating their feelings and preferences effectively.
• Children develop their sense of responsibility well. Staff patiently offer useful tips and explanations to teach toddlers how to put their coats on. They continue to develop the opportunities children have to do things for themselves, thinking through the effectiveness of their practices. Pre-school children's snack time has been enhanced to offer them clearer routines to follow, to encourage children to manage many aspects themselves. They find their name label to show that they are attending snack, they proudly serve their fruit and pour their water, building their independence skills very effectively.
• Staff teach children about safety boundaries and expectations and patiently help those who require perceptive intervention and additional support. Children show respect for staff, listening and adapting their behaviour appropriately. They learn about the needs of others, share toys and begin to play cooperatively.
• Children's listening and attention is supported effectively in interesting age-appropriate group sessions. Babies enjoy rhymes and songs, listening intently and copying actions, and older babies begin to learn the words. Toddlers have fun moving in different ways to their 'Beat baby' session. Older children control their movements well as they use instruments to play softly, or fast, tapping in different ways. However, occasionally staff are not as successful in flexibly adapting other adult-led activities, effectively minimising distractions and helping maintain children's engagement and learning.
• The staff team liaise closely with parents, to help provide a consistent approach to the support children receive. They share a wealth of information on children's individual learning goals as well as planned nursery activities. They also conscientiously offer ideas and advice on how parents can help support children's learning at home.
• Management undertakes observations of staff practice and conduct regular team and individual meetings with staff to help their development and skills. They support staff to undertake relevant training as well as early years qualifications. They work closely as a staff team to evaluate and enhance their provision. For example, routines in the baby room have been enhanced with pre-nap story times, which successfully help settle the older babies ready for their sleep.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to review and adapt their support during adult-led activities to consistently maintain children's attention, engagement and learning.