Partou Prospect House Day Nursery & Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Managers and staff provide meaningful learning experiences across the nursery that captivate the interest of the children and motivate them to learn. Children happily explore and investigate the activities provided. Staff build on babies' curiosity. They encourage them to feel different textures, such as soft feathers, pine cones and bristles on the brush, and to listen to the sound of the hand bell.

Staff enthusiastically join in the children's play as they roll cars down an upturned drainpipe. They skilfully introduce concepts, such as 'fast' and 'slow', and encourage them to repeat the phrase 'ready, steady, go' as they launch cars down the pipe. Staff provide activities that encourage the children to develop their problem-solving skills. Children demonstrate perseverance as they learn how to fix the train track pieces together.

Staff provide a narrative as they play alongside babies and acknowledge their gestures and sounds. Younger children are introduced to new vocabulary, such as 'scoop' 'pour', 'splash', 'big' and 'squeaky' as they play with water and roll balls down the drainpipe. Older children hear a good range of language as staff hold interesting and meaningful conversations with them. They demonstrate their knowledge of dinosaurs as they talk about the plants that herbivore dinosaurs ate and that bees eat the pollen in flowers.

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

• The strong management team is currently supporting the newly appointed manager, who is already looking at ways to develop the nursery. Secure recruitment, induction and supervision procedures are in place and the staff's professional development is actively encouraged.
• Managers and staff structure and sequence the curriculum to cover all areas of a child's development, building on what children know and can already do. Transitions across the nursery are secure and school readiness is promoted. Staff complete ongoing observations of the children to monitor their progress and well-being. This supports staff to understand each child's personality, interests and learning needs effectively. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. However, on occasions, less-experienced staff do not always promote planned learning intentions as they support children's play.
• Staff form close attachments with the children, warmly welcoming them into the nursery. Babies receive cuddles if they are upset, which supports their emotional well-being. Older children become increasingly independent and demonstrate a sense of responsibility as they dress independently before going outside.
• Children enjoy being physically active in the fresh air. Younger children show great excitement as they chase bubbles. They are taught how to scoop water from one container to another, smiling as the water splashes them. They learn to use tools, such as spades, to dig in the sand and energetically use their feet to stomp on the sand. Older children develop physical skills as they balance on planks and climb on boxes. Staff build on children's confidence by helping the less confident children to have a go. Children patiently wait their turn as staff excitedly count down before they jump off the box. Other children join in, counting down and cheering on their friends.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and conduct. Children learn to share, take their turn and manage conflicts with their friends. However, on occasions, some staff do not support younger children effectively enough to manage their feelings and emotions.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well (SEND). They involve parents, form plans to support the children and liaise with specialist professionals. This means that children with SEND receive swift support and make good progress from their starting points.
• The nursery cook provides children with a wide range of healthy nutritious meals and snacks. Children serve their own food, demonstrate good table manners and learn to feed themselves using appropriately sized cutlery.
• Parents are complimentary about how the nursery staff care for their children. They notice how their children have gained more confidence and have become more sociable since attending the nursery. Staff regularly update parents about their children's day and their learning. Parents are able to borrow books from the 'lending library' and also 'home learning' bags, which contain resources such as puzzles and imaginative play resources to support children's ongoing learning at home.
• A recent incident occurred where nappy changing procedures were not implemented effectively. However, managers have taken steps to ensure this does not happen again. Procedures have been revised and discussed with the staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff further to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching consistently focuses on what they want children to learn
• help staff to apply behaviour management strategies consistently to support younger children's deeper understanding of what is expected of them.