Partou Eldwick Street Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children greet their peers and staff with smiles and hugs as they arrive in the nursery. They are happy and secure in their surroundings. Children choose their favourite toys and persevere with activities that interest them. For example, children spend time intricately painting a doll's fingernails and applying make-up to its face. They show good concentration skills and develop the muscles in their hands in preparation for early writing. Furthermore, children who like to learn outside enjoy making large marks on the outdoor painting wall. In the main, children are kind and caring towards each other. They comment on being 'best friends' and learn to value a wide range of unique differences they have. Children are independent from a young age and make choices in their learning. They take part in pre-school committee discussions and enjoy being chosen as the daily helper. This boosts their self-esteem.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have worked hard to increase children's communication and social skills. Children explore books together, take part in creating and reviewing stories and sing songs regularly. These activities help their language to consistently improve. Any children who have delays in their development are fully supported within the setting and with the input from relevant professionals. As a result, children all make good progress.

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

• Leaders aspire to bring all children as many opportunities as possible. They work hard to increase children's experiences and help them build a range of skills in preparation for their future. Leaders have successfully used additional funding to enhance their outdoor area and to purchase resources in different languages. This especially helps children who are disadvantaged or who speak English as an additional language. As a result, all children thrive and feel included in the nursery.
• On the whole, leaders have clear support systems in place for staff. They ensure staff's well-being is paramount and offer them regular training to help improve some aspects of their knowledge. However, training is not always focused on priority areas for development. For instance, not all staff understand how to consistently implement effective behaviour management strategies for children. Consequently, some children's behaviour causes disruption to other children who are playing.
• Partnerships with parents are robust and effective. Leaders, staff and parents regularly discuss and contribute towards children's development in order for learning to continue between home and nursery. Leaders have created a board so that parents who do not speak English can take a photo and translate the information. All families' needs are identified and met with sensitivity. Positive relationships are built and maintained.
• Leaders and staff sequence the curriculum for all children extremely well from the start. They know what children know and can do and what they are most interested in. Staff skilfully plan the next stages in children's learning and encourage them to solve problems. For example, children spend time pouring water, mixing leaves and scooping mud as they create potions outside. As a result, children engage well with the activities on offer.
• Children enjoy the snacks and meals they are provided with. They are supported to understand how to be healthy and learn where food comes from. At lunchtime, children touch and smell the uncooked ingredients and spices that have gone into their meal. They talk about the items, some of which they recognise from home. Children are consistently exposed to new learning experiences and gain further knowledge.
• Children explore stories in depth and 'bump into books' around all areas of the playroom. Staff help children to become immersed in the books they read. Additionally, children access the mobile library, and they take books home to read with their families. Literacy is well supported from a young age.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus professional development more precisely to help staff consistently implement effective behaviour management strategies.