Nishkam Nursery Leeds

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are friendly and enthusiastic and greet children on arrival at this welcoming setting. Children are happy to leave their parents and carers and are eager to start their learning. Staff value the diverse families and children that attend this unique and nurturing setting. Newly appointed and dedicated staff recognise the importance of getting to know children's individual learning styles, personalities, cultures and family backgrounds. Children develop a strong bond with their key person. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Children behave well and are familiar with the rules and routines. Staff in the toddler room support children to share and take turns with their peers. For example, they help children to solve minor conflicts and give them time and space to regulate their feelings. As a result, children learn to be kind and caring to each other and to manage their own behaviour.

Staff give children's communication and language a high priority. They use sign language, body language, facial expressions and understand each child's cues to communicate their needs and wants. Children who speak English as an additional language develop their understanding of the English language quickly. With the attentive support of bilingual staff, children begin to extend their interactions with others using spoken English.

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

• Children develop very good independence skills. Staff encourage children to have some responsibility. For example, children pour their own water, serve themselves and wash up after their snack. Children take pride in doing things for themselves.
• Staff encourage parents to provide information about what their children already know and can do when they first attend. They use this information, and their own observations, to decide how to help all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work collaboratively with families and professionals to implement detailed plans and interventions. All children, including those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points in development.
• Staff ensure that all children benefit from daily activities outdoors to exercise their large muscles. This includes rolling tyres and learning to pedal bicycles. Children take part in daily dance and yoga sessions, where they practise different yoga poses and dance styles from different cultures. Children talk to staff about how this makes them feel. They learn about healthy lifestyles.
• Staff recognise the value of singing rhymes and reading stories in order to help children acquire and use words and vocabulary. Singing can be heard throughout the setting. Toddlers and pre-school children sing with confidence. Children listen intently as staff read familiar stories to them. Staff encourage children to choose books that interest them and take time to sit with children and read stories. Children develop a love of reading and enjoy sharing books at home from the library.
• Parents speak very highly of the setting and are extremely happy with the support they receive. Managers and staff work closely with parents and are available to talk to at drop-off and pick-up times. There is a good level of communication between staff and the parents via online systems, parents' meetings and newsletters. Parents said that they feel confident to speak to the manager if they have any concerns and share that staff are kind and caring. They comment on the exciting activity packs which staff send home to support their children's learning and development.
• Since the last inspection, the management team has evaluated practice to ensure that the systems for key working and expectations for children's learning are shared across the setting. New staff have robust vetting and induction to ensure their suitability. Staff are supported with regular supervision sessions and ongoing professional development through training. Managers use peer-on-peer observations to evaluate the impact of training. Staff share how they enjoy their work, as they feel valued and part of the team.
• Staff plan exciting activities based on the children's interests and what they want children to learn next. However, occasionally, during adult-led activities, the learning intention is not clear. Sometimes, staff move quickly from subject to subject during activities and do not build further on what children know and can do.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the planning and implementation for some adult-led activities, to further build on what children know and can do.