Partington Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The passionate staff team work hard to ensure that children and their families are at the heart of everything they do. The setting has adopted a 'whole-family approach' and have a deep understanding of children as individuals. Children enter the setting with a beaming smile and run to the entrance, eager to learn. Staff develop a strong rapport with parents, overall. Where children speak English as an additional language, staff learn to pronounce key words in their language. Leaders work in unity with parents to learn about foods from their cultures and incorporate these into the nursery menu. This helps children from an early age develop their food palate and learn about other cultures. Staff create 'drink' and 'tissue' stations in the home languages of the children. Furthermore, all rooms have dual language books accessible. This creates an inclusive environment that is reflective of all children.

Leaders have developed a highly ambitious curriculum that ensures learning is 'by design'. Communication and language is a real strength of the curriculum. Staff repeat the babbles and early words babies make, helping them understand two-way communication. Staff introduce new words to babies, like 'crunch,' and they repeat the word 'mix'. Babies are heard to repeat 'mix, mix,' as they explore. Staff use sign language to help support children's understanding of language, for example signing 'more'. Effective assessment helps staff to recognise when a child requires intervention and where staff can swiftly target support. Children are given superb opportunities to close gaps in their communication and language development.

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

• Children have ample opportunities to practise their gross motor skills, for example they use makeshift obstacle courses and large apparatus. Staff promote the practise of fine motor and dexterity skills. For example, through early mark-making activities for younger children in autumnal gloop. Leaders have created 'busy bags' containing play dough for children to strengthen their smaller muscles in their hands at home. Overall, the curriculum enables children to make excellent progress in their physical development.
• Children have strong relationships with staff at nursery. Children respond well to boundaries that are set out to keep them safe. The nursery has adopted 'golden rules,' which teach the children to respect their friends, for example using 'kind hands'. Where conflict arises between the children, staff are well deployed and help children to regulate. Children seek out staff for a cuddle when upset. The nursery has developed a regulation space for children that has books about emotions. Children access a sensory room space in the family hub to further aid regulation. Staff plan to embed emotional literacy training, which enhances children's mental health and well-being. This helps children to develop a strong understanding of their own emotional needs and those of others.
• Leaders provide families with alternative, lower priced food shopping ideas to support them. Children often go home with leftover food from the day to ensure families have plenty of food to eat. Leaders inspire families to recreate the children's favourite meals by sending recipes home. Leaders work with dieticians, who helps to decide on the meals on the menu. Consequently, leaders have excellent understanding of how to support children's nutrition. During mealtimes, children discuss how 'green beans are healthy' and encourage their peers to finish their water 'to be healthy'. Children benefit from understanding a healthy diet, which sets children's health on a positive trajectory.
• Leaders and staff aim for better outcomes for children and aim to educate on the importance of children's oral health. Staff have previously attended children's dentist appointment with families and regularly signpost parents to updated health guidelines. At nursery, children take part in toothbrushing after meals. To embed this further, children take toothbrushing packs home. This helps children to develop a robust understanding of how to keep themselves and their teeth healthy, which works towards a decrease in the levels of tooth decay in the area.
• Children learn about the importance of recycling, and staff teach children about the positive impact this has on the environment. Children are seen actively using the recycling bins. The nursery has extended this learning to home, setting up an initiative involving parents to bring in waste so the children can take part in 'recycling week'. Children learn about composting and growing fresh vegetables. Leaders are building links with a local allotment to enhance children's experiences in growing vegetables. Children have excellent opportunities to learn about growth and how to take care of the world they live in.
• Leaders have access to in-house support, such as outreach workers. This means that early identification of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who require extra support to thrive are supported superbly. Leaders meet with health professionals each term to discuss any concerns they have about children's learning. Referrals and interventions happen seamlessly due to this strong partnership. Children with SEND or those from disadvantaged backgrounds receive exceptional support, which enables them to thrive.
• Parents share positive views of the nursery and feel their children make 'lots of progress'. Leaders work hard to share the local offer with parents, for example what is available to them in the family hub. Parents comment on the nurturing approach staff have towards them, particularly when parents have faced adversity. However, leaders have not ensured that all parents know who their child's key person is. This means that there is not always consistent communication between the setting and home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the communication of the key-person system, to further support all parents to promote their children's next steps in learning.