Parkside Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and excited at this friendly nursery. They are welcomed into the nurturing environment and immediately select activities that engage them. Children practise their small-muscle skills as they thread cereal onto spaghetti, watching as it drops to the end. Children develop their mark-making skills as they dip toy dinosaurs' feet in paint and stomp them onto paper to make footprints. They use brushes to carefully paint dinosaurs, dipping brushes into the paint before carefully sweeping their paintbrush over the paper. Children wash paint off the dinosaurs' feet with sponges and bubbly water, laughing as they use their hands to splash the water.

Younger children explore their senses as they walk barefoot on crunchy cereal. They smile as they scrunch cereal in their hands, enjoying the sensory experience. Children explore different textures as they paint their hands and make marks on paper. Older children develop their literacy skills and recall as they listen intently to stories. They join in with familiar storylines, name characters from the book and anticipate what happens next. Children build muscles as they join in with a 'Dough disco'. They copy the actions to a song while manipulating their play dough. They make large movements, such as stomping, and finer movements, such as rolling and 'splatting' the dough from hand to hand, before poking it with each finger.

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

• Staff provide an ambitious programme of learning that builds on what children already know. They use the children's interests to plan their next steps in learning. Children's additional needs are quickly identified, and targeted support is provided. The nursery manager works closely with other agencies and parents to ensure that the needs of the children are met. This results in all children making good developmental progress while at the nursery.
• The manager is ambitious and devoted to improving the lives of the children at the nursery. Some staff have worked at the nursery for many years, providing consistency and stability for the families.
• Staff use playful interactions and good questioning techniques when talking to older children. These children respond well and confidently use speech as a way of communicating. However, staff do not maximise early language development. As a result, the youngest children do not receive the same support as older children to develop their early communication skills.
• Children learn about the local community and the natural world at the nursery. They enjoy exploring local parks and farms where children learn about animals. Children further develop an understanding of caring for animals as they look after rabbits and chickens in the nursery garden. Children's knowledge and curiosity of the natural world deepen further as they find a worm outside. They exclaim, 'it's a worm!' as they examine it through a magnifying glass.
• Children benefit from exploring a large, inviting garden at the nursery. They develop their large-muscle skills as they sit on tricycles, pushing down on the pedals with their feet to propel themselves forwards. They practise their coordination as they climb on tree stumps and balance carefully. However, some staff do not engage or interact with children during their time outdoors, resulting in their learning not being maximised.
• Parents are complimentary about the nursery. They praise the staff and say they receive regular updates about what children are learning. Parents also comment on how the staff support children's home learning. For example, children can select books to share with their families at home.
• Staff ensure that children have access to healthy food. For example, children enjoy fresh fruit for snacks. Staff support parents to make healthy content choices in the children's lunch boxes. Healthy practices are further developed as children wash their hands and use hand sanitiser before handling food and after using the toilet.
• Children's emotional needs are met well. For example, staff consistently praise children for their efforts and positive behaviour. They use 'The Colour Monster' book and soft toys to help older children identify and explore their developing emotions. Children receive warm cuddles and encouragement when unsettled. Staff help to build children's self-esteem as they praise children's efforts, saying 'fantastic, well done!' during play. This helps children to feel valued and secure in the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen teaching, particularly outdoors, to maximise children's learning across all areas of the curriculum
• improve the consistency of staff interactions with younger children, to encourage the development of early language skills.