OSHN Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The leaders at the nursery have established extremely supportive settling-in procedures. They make highly effective use of these sessions to help centre on the individual needs of the child and their family. Children and babies build incredibly strong bonds with the staff and are excited to come in and engage with staff and peers. Staff continue this attention to detail by implementing extremely supportive transition procedures to support children as they move through the nursery and on to school.

Staff design a curriculum based on the children's interests and stage of development. For instance, they demonstrate how to use the rolling pin to flatten the dough with the younger children. Staff make effective use of praise to encourage children to try rolling out their dough. They talk to the children about moving the rolling pin forward and backward. Staff skilfully include new vocabulary as they introduce positional language into children's play.

The staff have high expectations for children's learning. They are good role models who support children as they learn to share. For example, staff praise the children as they wait for their turn to roll a car down the ramp in the garden. The children have very good manners and behave well as they interact with peers. Staff help children develop social skills in preparation for the next stage of their learning.

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

• Staff plan an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that helps children make strong progress in their learning and development. They support children's language skills by providing commentary during play. For example, staff encourage older children to discuss the snake and mouse on their matching cards and to talk about the events in the stories these characters are from. Babies participate enthusiastically in action songs. Staff use repetition, such as 'Row Row Row Your Boat', to enhance babies' communication and language skills.
• The provider and staff meticulously track and monitor each child's progress. The staff have an in-depth knowledge of children's stage of development and next steps. However, on occasion, staff do not recognise when children are not appropriately challenged during some activities to ensure they make the progress they are capable of.
• The leaders create an engaging environment throughout the nursery. There is a good range of both adult-led and child-led learning opportunities. For example, staff offer an extensive selection of resources based on the Montessori approach, designed to foster children's independence and enhance their knowledge and life skills.
• Leaders have provided exceptional outdoor facilities for all children. They understand the important role that playing outdoors has on children's physical skills and well-being. For example, staff provide an array of opportunities for babies to help them build balance and muscle strength. Older children benefit from using large play equipment to climb and learn about how their bodies move. However, staff are not effectively deployed throughout the day, which limits opportunities for some children who prefer outdoor play. Consequently, this impacts on their levels of engagement and enjoyment in activities.
• The nurturing and attentive staff have formed close bonds with the babies and children. For instance, toddlers enjoy a reassuring cuddle from staff before continuing to explore the extensive range of activities on offer. Staff use resources, such as coloured character figures and emotion-themed stories, to help older children express their feelings and recognise emotions. Staff understand the importance of helping all children to gain a sense of belonging.
• Staff help children to develop their independence as they learn to do things for themselves. For example, they provide mirrors to help children learn how to use a tissue to wipe their nose before placing the tissue in the bin. Staff teach children good hygiene routines in preparation for future learning.
• The staff have established excellent partnerships with parents. They recognise the importance of a good two-way exchange of information. For instance, they use face-to-face discussions and children's online assessment records to send messages and photos. Parents speak very highly about the nursery and the support their children receive.
• The leader ensures that staff receive a diverse range of training opportunities. For instance, staff are encouraged to undertake new qualifications to continually improve their knowledge and skills. The leaders carry out regular supervision meetings to support staff in their roles and monitor their well-being. Staff comment that they feel valued and appreciate the support they receive from the leaders.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's good teaching practices to ensure staff consistently provide appropriate levels of challenge to further extend children's learning
• improve staff deployment to increase children's enjoyment and engagement in their play.