Paradise Garden Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed by staff and eagerly enter the setting. They hang their coats up, look for their friends and immediately go to play. For example, children rush to the role-play area and dress up as a police officer as they act out their play from the day before. Children have fostered close attachments to staff and enjoy involving them in their play. For example, they delight in involving the staff in their play as they act out being at the doctors' surgery. The environment is well thought out and resources are accessible to children, which helps them to use their imagination and lead their own play. Children enjoy mixing paints, use trowels to build with life-sized bricks and use a range of collage materials in craft activities. The curriculum is carefully considered and helps all children to build their developing skills. Children demonstrate that they are settled and happy.

Staff are positive role models. They offer reassurance to children, give consistent behaviour reminders and offer lots of encouragement and praise. They gain children's attention in imaginative ways. For example, as children gather for a story time, staff ask, 'Hocus pocus, are you ready to focus?' This helps children to develop good listening and attention skills so that they are ready to learn. Children are engaged in play, and they make good progress in their learning and development.

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

• The curriculum offers children opportunities to develop skills in all areas of learning. For example, younger children develop their language skills through singing. Older children develop their mark-making skills in preparation for school. However, staff do not consistently promote mathematics during children's play. This means that children do not extend their mathematical knowledge to the highest level.
• Staff promote children's independence throughout the day. For example, children hang their coats up as they enter the setting and help to prepare snack. However, at times, routines do not support children to understand staff's expectations. For example, while preparing for snack, some children tidy up, some go to wash their hands and some start to play. This results in children being distracted and their learning is disrupted.
• Staff promote communication and language well, particularly for children who speak English as an additional language. For example, staff speak to children in English and their home language and use visual symbols that help children's understanding. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. This means that all children are supported to make good progress.
• Parent partnerships are good. Staff share regular information about children's development and actively encourage parents to be part of their child's learning. For example, parents are invited into the setting to read stories to children or talk about their job roles. Parents are complimentary about the care their children receive. They say that they feel, 'Staff are really invested in children's learning and development.' These partnerships help to promote a consistency of care.
• Staff have developed partnerships with a range of professionals to support children's individual needs. For example, they liaise with speech and language therapists to put individual learning plans into place. Information is shared with teachers as children transition to school. The setting receives support from local authority advisors. These partnerships directly support children's individual needs.
• Children explore a range of special days from different cultures and faiths. Staff teach children to consider the needs of others and to learn about the community they live in. For example, children donate to local charities and meet with people from the local homeless shelter. These opportunities help children to understand the importance of inclusion and diversity.
• Children are beginning to explore the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy fresh fruit every day, talk about good oral health and enjoy activities outdoors. For example, they ride bikes, climb steps on the slide and keep trying as they use hula hoops. These activities help children to build their resilience and physical skills.
• The manager is a strong leader. She undertakes research and considers how this knowledge can be used in the setting to support children. Staff say that they feel they are well supported by the manager and the trustees of the setting. The staff team attends regular training opportunities together. This allows staff to discuss how they can implement new knowledge in the setting. This shared approach has a positive impact on children's learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop ways to provide children with consistent opportunities to explore mathematics in their play so that children develop their mathematical knowledge to the highest level
• review the organisation of daily routines, particularly around snack time, in order to minimise any disruption to children's learning.