Moortown Preschool & Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies and children make a positive start to their learning in this warm and nurturing nursery. They build strong bonds with the staff who care for them and settle smoothly into the well-considered routines. Children make good progress overall and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including starting school. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests and abilities well to systematically develop their skills and understanding. For example, staff play peekaboo games as babies recognise themselves in a mirror and develop self-awareness. Older children extend their understanding of themselves and the world around them. For example, they role play in a pretend hospital, dressing as doctors and nurses and caring for baby dolls.

Staff help children to feel safe and to follow instructions. Children behave very well. They rise to the consistently high expectations of staff. For instance, children politely listen to each other as they choose songs together and follow the leader in their animal action rhymes. Children learn to assess their own risk as they develop their physical skills on increasingly challenging stepping stones and obstacle courses. Parents and carers appreciate that staff help their children to be happy, confident and independent.

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

• Leaders and staff have high expectations overall for children's development at every stage of their learning. The curriculum is designed to progressively develop children's achievements as they advance through nursery. However, staff do not fully enrich and deepen children's learning. For example, they do not consistently adjust their interactions with children to their immediate needs and interests or ensure that resources are always clear and accessible.
• The development of children's communication skills is central to the progress that they make. Staff are trained well and they skilfully introduce children to a varied vocabulary. They help children to use their emerging language skills through carefully considered questions. For example, staff ask children 'what do you think will happen?' as they experiment with whether magnets attract or repel different objects.
• Staff promote children's engagement with books and songs to aid their development in various areas of learning. They offer children a carefully considered selection of fiction and non-fiction books to introduce new vocabulary and experiences. Staff read stories regularly in engaging ways that enhance children's concentration and anticipation. They introduce children to memorable words and phrases that support their understanding of the world and their communication skills.
• The nursery positively nurtures children's personal development, independence and social skills. Staff support children's emotional well-being. They encourage children's self-awareness and resilience by encouraging them to persist with tasks and collaborate. Older children learn about democratic decision-making by voting for stories to listen to.
• The nursery provides targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They identify areas in children's learning and development that need attention at an early stage. Leaders make good use of staff's skills and collaborate with other professionals, such as inclusion specialists, to focus on and assist children's development, to maximise their progress.
• Staff help children to achieve high standards of behaviour and self-awareness. Children learn about the importance of taking care of the world around them through, for example, projects on recycling, the adoption of a donkey in a nearby sanctuary, and planting and growing activities.
• Leaders are ambitious for children to leave the nursery happy, confident and eager to learn. They are well-qualified and strong role models. Leaders support staff's development effectively through effective programmes of training and evaluation. They effectively foster a passionate and reflective staff team.
• Staff work closely with parents to support children's learning. Parents positively recommend the nursery. They participate in a parents' committee, which contributes views to maintaining the quality of provision. Parents warmly appreciate the regular information on children's activities and the opportunities to support learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's planning and engagement with children, to fully and consistently deepen and enrich their learning.