Millfield Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children benefit from the positive and nurturing care and attention shown by staff. Staff's passion and enjoyment of their role are evident in every interaction they have with children. For example, they listen intently as children talk. Staff extend the conversation, prompting children to share their experiences and ensuring all children can contribute. Staff are skilled at noticing and incorporating children's interests into activities. For example, when a younger child is fascinated with the pouring rain during a singing session, they sing 'rain, rain go away'.

Staff are very calm and reassuring, for example when a child accidentally spills a drink. Children are secure and comfortable, even when they have only just started attending the nursery school. They have excellent friendships with each other, often engaging in collaborative play as they make up their own games.

The curriculum is well thought out and staff are clear on how children build on their existing knowledge and skills as they move through the nursery school. The leadership team places high importance on children being able to express themselves through a range of activities, especially younger children who have not yet developed their speaking skills. As younger children join in with songs, they demonstrate high levels of enjoyment and engagement as they dramatically perform the actions.

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

• The leadership team is very reflective and demonstrates a drive and commitment to ongoing improvements to continually raise the quality of the provision. Staff feel well supported and are encouraged to identify how they can develop their own practice. Professional development is sharply focused on helping staff to improve their teaching to benefit children's learning. In addition, the leadership team ensures that staff's knowledge is kept up to date on all changes and they know how to confidently recognise and manage any concerns about children.
• Children's communication and language development is supported well. Songs and stories feature continually throughout the day, and children are developing a love of books and singing. Staff skilfully build on children's learning. For example, staff working with younger children use signs and pictures during circle time to reinforce what they are saying. As older children harvest the pumpkins growing in the garden, staff help them to extend their vocabulary as they use a range of words to describe the different sizes. They explain and demonstrate to the children that the largest pumpkin is hollow.
• All staff have a firm understanding of the recently revised curriculum. The leaders gather information from local schools so that they know what specific key skills they need to focus on. Good consideration is given to ensuring children enjoy a range of experiences and to furnish them with the knowledge and skills they need as they move on to school. Staff know the children they are working with really well and have a clear understanding of what they need to learn next. However, on occasion, staff do not extend children's learning, for example prompting them to recall what they already know so they can expand on this.
• Staff are excellent role models to the children. Their interactions with each other and the children are very positive. Children relish this and seek out staff during their play. Staff provide very effective support to help younger children to begin to manage their emotions and they quickly re-engage in play. They recognise and praise positive behaviours and when children persevere at tasks. They successfully distract children when needed. Careful consideration is given to how best to support children as they start at the nursery school and then move on to the next age group.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. Parents feel very well informed about the topics and activities within the nursery school, as well as their child's learning. They value the guidance and support that staff provide to enable them to continue the learning at home. They explain that the well-laid-out display of the curriculum helps them to understand what learning goals children are working towards throughout their time in the nursery school.
• Staff deliver a focused package of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They maintain a close working relationship with parents, carers and other professionals to help children to make the best possible progress. They strive for ambition for each child and never limit what they think a child is capable of.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further enhance the support for children's learning to help them to make the best possible progress.