N Family Club Maida Vale

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this warm and inviting environment that highly skilled staff plan for them. They explore a wealth of inspiring activities, which stimulate their interest and curiosity. Giggles echo from the garden where a group of children investigate water. They pour and empty containers, then carefully refill them, playing together cooperatively. A member of staff introduces the mathematical language of 'half' and 'quarter' to describe how full the containers are. Another group of children in the garden complete a yoga session with a member of staff. They listen intently for the next pose and laugh as they hug each other for the move of 'give yourself a big hug.' Their consistently positive attitude towards playing and learning shines through as they chatter together, taking turns with the water play and picking the next yoga pose.

Children develop a love of learning through the meticulously planned curriculum and learning environment. The focus on children's communication and language skills provides a central theme from which learning in all other areas is derived. Children express their opinions and ideas freely and with confidence, using new vocabulary fluently through speaking and using signs.

Expectations and aspirations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are high. Children proudly copy the respectful manner of staff and demonstrate mature personal and social skills. For instance, very young children sit calmly together for snacks and meals, waiting their turn and helping each other. Following snack time, they choose a book and bring it to staff before all sitting and listening together. The superbly well-embedded routines of the day help children to feel safe and secure. Babies understand that the sight of suncream means they will go in the garden and they excitedly pat their heads to ask for hats and go to where their shoes are kept.

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

• Managers have a thorough oversight of the nursery. They work with staff to empower them to recognise successful learning opportunities, and to reflect and improve on anything they feel could have gone better. The significant focus on communication and language in the nursery helps all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to develop confident language skills, so they are ready to access the whole curriculum. This also gives children an excellent start for their future learning, including at school.
• Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from staff learning about their home languages and traditions. Children are greeted in the morning in their home language and various languages can be heard being spoken to the children throughout the nursery. Staff's relationships with parents help them to support their children in the most effective way. For those experiencing two languages, staff take the time to learn nursery rhymes as well as everyday phrases in the child's home language.
• Staff are passionate about identifying gaps in children's learning and implementing early interventions. Children with SEND are supported especially well in this respect, with staff developing effective strategies to support their individual needs. Where external support is needed, this is accessed swiftly to help all children make the best possible progress. Children's needs are very well understood, and adjustments are made to ensure that all children are able to make rapid progress.
• A key focus of the nursery is to promote children's emotional literacy. This is built on slowly from the earliest age. Babies look in mirrors and learn to recognise facial expressions. Toddlers use a 'mood meter' to communicate how they are feeling and older children learn to express and discuss their feelings with soft toys to help represent more difficult emotions. Consequently, children demonstrate a mature awareness of their friends' feelings and of their own behaviours.
• Children develop wonderful knowledge of the world around them, both their local community and the wider world. For instance, they learn about carnivals as the Notting Hill Carnival takes place nearby. Parents are encouraged to make carnival masks with their children at home to extend the learning. Pre-school children talk about deforestation as they learn about Orangutan Day, knowing the language to use as staff have been teaching them new vocabulary. They discuss the use of palm oil, demonstrating the high expectations that staff have for the children's learning.
• Relationships with parents are superb. Parents praise the family feel of the nursery, stating that they have built lasting relationships with staff and the nursery has facilitated the building of relationships with other parents. They feel fully involved and updated in their children's learning and care. Parents comment on the progress they have seen their children make in all areas of their development since starting at the nursery. Parents whose children are leaving to start school feel the nursery could not have done more to prepare them.