Parklands Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are enthusiastic learners, who love coming to nursery. They are extremely happy and show high levels of emotional security, confidence, and self-esteem. Children's interests and love for learning are at the heart of every decision staff make. Children develop independence rapidly through daily routines. They thoroughly enjoy exploring the carefully planned environment in an unhurried atmosphere. This particularly supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children make outstanding progress from their start points.

Children choose from highly motivating activities that capture their curiosity for learning. They are completely involved in play and learning. They consistently smile and laugh together. Children know songs and rhymes and recite them with great enthusiasm. For example, they eagerly join in songs and their actions, keenly sharing their ideas to demonstrate how a see-saw moves. They smile and giggle with excitement and relish the praise they receive from staff. Children confidently talk about their learning using rich vocabulary.

Children behave exceptionally. They work together extremely well as they search for pirate treasure in the garden. They show secure relationships with staff and happily seek reassurance when needed, in the form of a supportive hand.

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

• Staff are highly skilled and knowledgeable and have a deep understanding of how children learn. They understand the importance of ensuring that all children receive a broad and balanced curriculum. They provide a wide variety of experiences based on children's differing needs and abilities.
• Staff develop children's communication and language with exceptional skill. They talk clearly and give children plenty of time to practise speaking. Staff listen and repeat any words that children say with sign language. For children that are non-verbal, staff use pictures to help them to communicate. Their high-quality interactions and inspiring conversations help to extend children's vocabulary and confidence to speak very well. For example, children eagerly direct adults and each other to find treasure hidden in the garden.
• Children thoroughly enjoy their learning and show a keenness to explore and discover. They develop a love of literature. They know how to handle books and are excited to listen and join in with stories. Staff encourage and ignite children's imagination as they confidently use props with a favourite story about emotions. Staff skilfully question children during the story, linking what they are reading to their own feelings.
• Staff know the children extremely well and can talk about their needs, next steps in learning and unique personalities in depth. They use their knowledge of children's interests to create exciting development opportunities. For example, children enthusiastically investigate as they explore different toys from around the world. They eagerly assemble the Russian dolls and compare each one in order of size.
• The manager has developed wide-ranging support for staff to further develop their knowledge and skills. The knowledgeable manager consistently works alongside staff to share her vision and expertise. This helps to give staff a broad understanding of how children learn and develop, which has an extremely positive impact on children's learning.
• Staff plan and implement a sequential curriculum based on children's interests, regular projects, and next steps in their learning. They make rigorous assessments and identify areas where children need extra help. All children make rapid progress.