Park Hill Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and content at this nursery. Staff warmly welcome the children and their families, prioritising emotional well-being from the start. Consequently, children settle quickly on arrival and are eager to join their friends. Staff get to know each child well and follow their home routines. The interactions between staff and children are caring and supportive. For example, when they notice that young children are tired, staff offer cuddles and soothe them by rubbing their backs.

Staff have clear expectations for children's behaviour. They explain the nursery rules to the children and help them to understand the impact of their actions. For example, they remind children to walk when inside and explain why this is important, discouraging them from hurting themselves or others. This helps children to understand what is expected of them and respond positively. Children receive plenty of positive praise for their creative work, helping their friends and being polite.

There is a strong literacy curriculum. Leaders and staff emphasise children's literacy skills and foster their love for books. Staff extend learning after reading. For example, when finishing 'The Hungry Caterpillar,' children explore fruit kebabs to learn about textures and healthy eating. The lending library enables children to continue their learning at home.

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

• The leaders' and staff's dedication to fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere is evident in their approach to teaching and learning. They use a monthly story to shape the curriculum and engage children's interests, adapting activities to each child's developmental stage. While staff implement the curriculum effectively and children make good progress, they sometimes miss opportunities to adapt their teaching during children's free play. This can cause some children to lose focus and not fully benefit from the learning opportunities.
• Staff support children's behaviour effectively by encouraging them to reflect on their emotions. They use activities such as reviewing emotion cards to teach emotional understanding and expression. For instance, children describe what makes them happy, giving examples such as 'when my friends share toys'. This helps to support children's understanding of their feelings and those of others.
• Staff skillfully implement mathematical concepts into all areas of children's play and learning. For instance, they prompt younger children to count during number songs. Older children confidently use mathematical vocabulary as they count the cups on the table at mealtimes. This helps children learn about quantity and size.
• Children develop their physical skills at all ages. Rooms provide space for babies to pull up on furniture and practise walking. A secure outdoor area offers climbing equipment and wheeled toys. Children can safely engage in supervised risk-taking with large climbing frames and slides. Staff encourage children's free exploration to build their physical strength.
• Children learn to be increasingly independent. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for tasks such as managing their self-care independently. For example, they pour their drinks during mealtimes and take responsibility for tidying up throughout the day. However, at times, staff do things for the children that they could learn to do by themselves, such as opening their own packed lunches and putting their coats on. Therefore, children are not always fully encouraged to master independent skills for the future.
• Leaders provide staff with training and support, observing their interactions with children to offer constructive feedback and set improvement goals. Staff appreciate the guidance and coaching they receive. Newer and less-experienced staff quickly develop effective teaching skills. Overall, the good standard of practice has a positive impact on children's learning.
• Parents express positive feedback regarding the experiences their children have at the nursery. They highly value the comprehensive support staff provide to the entire family and appreciate the detailed communication they receive. Staff consistently share developmental information and provide ideas for parents to support their children's learning at home effectively.
• Staff organise various outings to help children understand their environment. These include monthly visits to the local pool, nature walks, and trips to an indoor role play venue. These activities aim to broaden children's knowledge, encourage curiosity, and develop a connection to the world around them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities that enhance children's independence and allow them to complete tasks for themselves
• support staff to recognise when to adapt their teaching, to regain children's engagement when they lose focus during their play.