Nesscliffe House Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at this highly engaging and inspirational setting happy and eager to learn. Staff support new starters with compassion as they part from their parents. Children are soon engrossed in the stimulating and nurturing environment. There is a purposeful start to the day. Staff encourage children's independence as they find their name and hang up coats and bags. They place their lunch boxes on the shelf and put on aprons for the day's activities. Staff ensure children can achieve their tasks. For example, they use a variety of ways to support children in finding their own name peg, such as using names, pictures and colours. This raises children's confidence and self-esteem.

The well-sequenced curriculum develops children's thinking skills. It deepens their understanding as it builds carefully on previous learning and creates challenge. There is a strong focus on language enrichment. Staff model words to ensure correct pronunciation. They ask inspiring questions of the children and carefully give them time to respond. Staff also introduce new words, such as 'coronation', 'floral' and 'fragrance', in context during activities. Extra curriculum activities further enhance children's learning. They enjoy yoga, French and art lessons. Children's behaviour is good. The setting promotes tolerance of others and skilfully teaches children those values.

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

• Managers are inspirational and passionate, and staff have extensive qualifications and experience. They are keen to continue with professional development to extend their already outstanding knowledge even further. Managers have high expectations of themselves, their staff and the children. They constantly evaluate the nursery to ensure they provide an outstanding teaching and learning environment. This helps to ensure the best outcomes for the children.
• Managers and staff fully understand how children learn. The environment is very well equipped with a range of age-appropriate resources. They use this to create challenge and fully support each child's next stage of learning.
• Staff develop an engaging and ambitious curriculum. This gives children the opportunity to extend their learning through extremely well-considered and implemented activities. Efficient assessment ensures learning is secure and embedded. The curriculum builds on children's past experiences and develops skills for their future learning.
• Staff use a range of techniques to help children build their confidence. For example, children act out 'The Three Little Pigs' as staff enthusiastically narrate the story. This excites the children and engages them well. It helps to develop their attention span, listening skills and self-esteem.
• There is a great importance given to routines. Children know what to expect and follow the structure of the day well. This gives them confidence to separate from parents and ensure they are ready for the learning experiences of the day.
• Children relish in the opportunities to enhance their physical skills. Frequent access to the space in the large garden and the wide range of purposeful activities enable children to move freely and in a range of ways. For example, they use balancing beams, bikes with pedals and hula hoops with increasing skill.
• Children learn about simple mathematical concepts in varying contexts, and this enables them to link their learning. They thoroughly enjoy using an innovative range of resources, for example conkers and stones, to count, sort and stack.
• Managers and staff promote an understanding of the community around them. Children visit the museum, look at different types of homes on the river and visit local shops. These experiences help to enrich the children's outlook on the world and develop their sense of community.
• Parent partnerships are excellent. Parents are very complimentary about the nursery and explain how well the staff support them in all areas. They get a wealth of information about their children's day and have daily conversations, termly reports and individual meetings to discuss children's progress and next steps. This helps to promote learning at home and helps children to reach their full potential.