Nest Royal Wharf

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children attend a safe and very well-organised nursery. They arrive happy and excited to learn. They immediately settle at activities that are well planned and take account of children's individual needs and interests. Staff are kind and nurturing. They provide sensitive support which encourages children to remain focused and engaged in their learning. They introduce new resources and ask questions to further extend children's play. For example, children learn about different modes of transport and draw their own maps of the London underground. They are then encouraged to find 3D resources to make a large model of the tube network. This supports and develops their understanding.

Staff focus on communication and language learning. They provide a curriculum full of rich opportunities for children to read, write and practise their speech. Children who speak English as an additional language are particularly well supported. They read dual-language books and staff learn words and phrases in the children's home language to help them feel secure and confident at nursery.

Behaviour is generally very good and children understand behaviour expectations well. Staff model good manners, kindness and consideration for others. They teach children to follow simple rules and the nursery routines, using visual prompts to help them. This prepares them to become responsible citizens.

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

• Managers understand the importance of self-evaluation and improvement. They regularly seek feedback from staff, parents and external agencies to support the nursery's ongoing development. They successfully identify weaknesses and put plans in place to address them, including training and professional development for staff. This means that the capacity of leaders to continually improve is good.
• Managers and staff have a clear intent for the curriculum. They focus on the prime areas of the early years foundation stage to ensure children are well equipped in important basic skills when they leave the nursery. Staff consider children's individual needs and interests when planning activities. This supports children's learning and helps them to make good progress.
• An effective key-person system is in place. Key persons observe and assess their key children daily. This helps them to plan a tailored programme of learning. They develop good relationships with parents, sharing daily information about children's care and their learning experiences at nursery.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is very effective. Staff identify issues early on and work closely with parents and other professionals. They develop targeted plans to support children's learning and development and emotional well-being at nursery and at home.
• Children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, children talk about different cultures and their traditions during circle time and older children take part in weekly Spanish lessons.
• Children are encouraged to be independent in their self-care and they learn how to dress and feed themselves from a young age. Older children are prepared for their transition to school. They are given more responsibility to increase their confidence and are taught how to care for others. For example, they collect food from the kitchen and lay it carefully on the table saying, 'Be careful, it's very hot'.
• Children are generally very well behaved. However, behaviour suffers during nursery transition times as children spend too long waiting to move on to the next activity. For example, pre-school children wait on the carpet before getting ready to go outside. They become unsettled and are not as responsive as they could be to adults when they try to re-engage them.
• Children's good health is positively promoted and supported by the staff, which results in better outcomes for children. They enjoy eating healthy, freshly prepared meals and snacks and have lots of opportunities to practise their physical skills inside and outside. The importance of good oral hygiene is promoted with children and their families.
• Parents share how impressed they are with the nursery. They feel confident their children are happy and safe. Parents praise the wide range of strategies used to engage and involve them in their children's learning. They particularly appreciated the support and information they were given during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review transitions between activities to ensure children's learning time is not interrupted and children remain engaged.