Mosscroft Childcare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed by friendly staff as they arrive. They leave their parents happily and excitedly explore the activities on offer. Babies use sponges to wash their toy cars. They splash in water with excitement. Older children gather items from the room and put them in water to see if they sink or float. Children are inquisitive and show an eagerness to learn.

Children have formed loving bonds with staff, who ensure that their needs are met. Staff are respectful of children and ask their permission before carrying out personal care practices. When staff leave the room, children welcome them back with a cuddle. As babies pick up an animal toy, staff sing 'Old Macdonald'. Children beam with excitement and join in with the song. Older children say that they 'love everything' at nursery.

Staff are good role models and give consistent messages to children about the expectations. They calmly remind children to use their 'walking feet' as they go to the on-site library. Children use polite manners when interacting with staff and each other. As babies look in mirrors and catch a glimpse of the other children in the reflection, they smile with excitement. Children know what is expected of them and demonstrate caring behaviours.

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

• Leaders have addressed the weaknesses raised at the last inspection. Professional development opportunities for staff are focused to help staff build their knowledge and skills over time. Staff say they feel supported in their roles. Leaders actively seek the views of children, parents, staff and external professionals and strive to continue improving this already good setting to an even higher level.
• Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and based around the needs of all children. Most of the time, staff implement the curriculum very well. However, on occasions, staff do not pose questions that help children to think critically. This means that some children are not able to develop their critical thinking skills as leaders intend.
• Staff incorporate mathematics into their activities at every opportunity. As young children scoop up pasta, staff count each scoop. At mealtimes, staff encourage children to count how many children are on their table and to provide the right amount of plates. Older children accurately count up to nine and know that 'zero means none'. Children develop a solid foundation in mathematics.
• Children's communication and language development is supported well. There is a buzz of back-and-forth conversation, with lots of opportunities for children to engage in conversation, rhymes and songs. Staff narrate children's play and help them to learn new words, such as 'herb' and 'rosemary.' Staff can regularly be heard initiating singing. Children enthusiastically join in with the words as they sway along in enjoyment. Staff model good language and use visual aids and sign language to help children communicate. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress in this aspect of their learning.
• Children's health and well-being is promoted well. Children regularly stop to have a drink of water, throughout the day. Furthermore, staff who prepare and handle food have now received the appropriate training to do so. As children wash their hands, staff sing a song that helps children to learn about the importance of handwashing. Staff talk to children about how eating healthy food will help them to grow and why bodies need 'vitamins'. This supports children's knowledge of healthy lifestyles.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her role. She has established strong partnerships with multi-agency professionals to ensure that all children receive the support they need. The nursery is inclusive and all children, including children with SEND, make good progress.
• Parents describe how well their children are supported at this 'amazing' nursery. Staff have established effective two-way dialogue with parents about their child's learning. Parents and staff work together to provide consistency for children. For example, staff share ideas with parents, such as how to support children at sleep time. Parents state that their children have made progress, particularly with their communication and language development, since starting at nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to embed the intended curriculum consistently to help children make optimum progress.