N Family Club Forest Hill

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a warm welcoming environment for children and families. Children are settled, confident and thriving in the nursery. Leaders provide a varied curriculum that helps children to develop the fundamental skills they need for future learning. For example, children are independent and competent. They relish being in the garden as they move freely. Younger children pick up sand in their hands and use tools as they scoop. Babies learn to negotiate their body movements and balance as they pull themselves up to stand, while others walk around to explore. Staff support, encourage and praise children, building their self-esteem. They support babies' vocabulary well, adding words to their actions as they play with play dough. For example, they introduce words such as bang and roll. Older children use more-complex sentences as they express their needs, wants and explain their ideas. Toddlers enjoy looking at books with staff, developing a good understanding of two-way communication.

Children behave well. Staff are calm and gentle with children. They implement simple routines which help children to know what is expected of them. Staff explain to children what is happening next and have structures in place to support transitions between rooms, helping children to feel safe and secure. Children enjoy playing together, older children share their thoughts and actions with each other and share resources. Staff practise yoga exercises with children to help support their emotional well-being.

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

• Staff plan together and consider children's individual next steps, what they need to learn and their interests when providing activities. This enables staff to tailor teaching more precisely to the needs of children. This encourages children's focus and engagement well. For example, babies explore mark making, older children excitedly join in pretend play, while toddlers explore with paint.
• Staff assess and monitor children's progress. For example, they complete children's progress checks between the ages of two and three years. Staff work with parents and external professionals to ensure children with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND) have the support they need to help them progress. However, systems that are in place to support children who are learning to speak English as an additional language are not consistently used by staff to enhance their development.
• Children develop their early mathematics skills from a young age. Staff talk about how many items babies have in their hands. Older children use language, such as talking about shapes and counting the number of sides they have. This supports children to develop their understanding of different mathematical concepts.
• Children learn about what makes them healthy. They are supported to identify different vegetables that are planted in the garden. Children develop good hygiene practices. For example, staff encourage children to wash and dry their hands before enjoying their nutritious meals. Children develop their independence when practising their self-care skills, such as older children pouring their own drinks and serving their own food. Younger children are encouraged and guided to feed themselves.
• Children listen well to staff and are reminded to listen to their peers. This helps children to be thoughtful and considerate. Children are supported well to develop positive self-regulation. This promotes children's good emotional well-being and behaviour.
• Children benefit from activities designed to develop their physical skills. They remain engrossed when exploring water, choosing different containers to scoop and pour. Children jump and climb and learn to balance as they move about. This helps develop children's coordination effectively.
• Parents report that they are highly satisfied with the quality of care given to the children. They feel valued. Parents comment on how supportive staff are. They know their child's key person. However, this system is not fully effective. Staff do not consistently share information about children to parents at the end of the day, to help promote continuity for their learning.
• Leaders ensure that staff have opportunities to support their professional development to enhance their skills. For example, staff access in-house training and recently completed a review of the nursery's policies and procedures, to improve the provision for children.
• Leaders and managers are passionate and hard working. They genuinely want the best for children. They have effective plans to further develop the quality experiences offered to children. For instance, taking children on trips to places of interest in the local community to help widen and enhance children's learning to even higher levels.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on systems that are already in place to further support children who are learning to speak English as an additional language
• strengthen the key-person system so that parents are given clear information at the end of the day.