Muddy Boots Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in a loving and caring environment. They settle quickly, form close bonds with their key persons, and enjoy their time at the setting. Children learn from their positive interactions with the staff, who have high ambitions for children's achievements. Staff motivate them through praise and encouragement. They supervise children well and are attentive to their individual needs. Children develop high levels of self-esteem and are keen to do things for themselves. For example, manage their own needs and put on their coats and high-visibility jackets before going to the local beach.

Children enjoy quiet times at the beach listening to stories and developing their love of books. They learn letters and the sounds they make. Older children learn to identify rhyming words, such as 'hat, cat' and 'rat'. Children are building on their early literacy skills.

Children are confident and show that they feel safe and secure at the setting. They talk with visitors and are keen to show them activities, such as the pretend cakes they have made in the home corner.

The manager keeps the risks associated with COVID-19 under review. At the present time, parents are not coming into the nursery. Children have adapted to this change well and enter happily, when greeted at the nursery gate door by one of the staff.

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

• Staff plan a broad and ambitious curriculum. They use observations to assess children's development and identify any gaps in their learning. Staff also use information from parents to plan activities, which target their children's needs well. However, they do not always adapt their teaching to focus on children's individual next steps in learning, to help children consistently achieve the best possible outcomes.
• The manager plans how she can use additional funding to benefit those who need it most. For instance, older children take part in small-group times to help them understand different emotions and talk about how they feel. Children build their vocabulary and gain confidence in talking.
• Staff take children on daily walks, which help to build children's confidence and interest in the world. For example, children visit the local beach, where they explore nature, feel the sea on their skin and investigate their surroundings. They are inquisitive as they find and observe the unusual patterns on seashells.
• Staff teach children to keep themselves safe. For instance, when walking to the beach, children have to cross a road. Children demonstrate the rules for road safety confidently. They know where to stop, look and wait before crossing.
• The manager is passionate about the links she has made between the nursery and the local community. Older children understand the need for community spirit. They work as a team to care for their local park and learn about the life cycle of plants. Children plant and observe how sunflowers and crocuses grow.
• During circle time, staff encourage children to explore malleable materials. Children use their finger muscles to manipulate play dough. They squeeze, roll, squash and pinch it to strengthen their small-muscle skills in preparation for early writing.
• Parents praise the good care provided to their children and say that their children enjoy attending. They appreciate the efforts of staff to support children and their family. Parents comment that staff share information about their children's progress and help them to understand what they can do next to continue learning at home. They say that the setting is like a family.
• Senior leaders reflect on their practice and have a clear view of the areas where the setting needs to improve. They guide staff well to achieve good standards in the quality of practice and provision. Supervision is effective to support staff welfare and to promote teamwork. New staff say they feel well supported in their roles.
• Staff training has a positive impact on children's learning. For example, on reflection from recent training, they meet as a team and plan on how to support children to become more physically active. Staff provide a programme of opportunities to extend children's physical development, such as their agility and locomotion.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff further to adapt their teaching to focus on children's individual next steps in learning, to help them consistently achieve the best possible outcomes.