Partou Turney Road Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and relaxed at this warm, welcoming nursery. Staff create a home-from-home atmosphere and build strong relationships with children from the start. They take time to get to know children's individual characteristics and are highly responsive to their needs. They are patient, kind and caring and give children lots of cuddles and smiles. This helps children feel safe and secure.

Children confidently help themselves to the wide variety of interesting resources and initiate their own play. They are curious to explore the texture of dough and snuggle into cosy areas with books. Staff encourage children to share their ideas, which helps them to find their voices and develop their self-identity. Children are friendly and play well together. Staff teach them to follow simple rules, such as using 'kind hands'. Children learn to control their bodies. Babies have space to crawl and roll, while older children learn to climb and jump outdoors. Staff skilfully tailor their interactions to support children's learning and model how to use resources. For example, they demonstrate how to mix sand and water to make sandcastles.

Staff know children exceptionally well. They follow children's interests to plan experiences that stimulate their learning. The provider is highly ambitious for children to be ready for school. Staff sequence children's learning well to help them build on what they can already do. All children make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Children are highly motivated in their play. Staff provide a stimulating environment that children are eager to explore. Pre-school children initiate their own games, such as role playing mummies and babies, which develops their imaginations. Babies persevere to fit pieces into a tray puzzle. Children develop good concentration and thinking skills.
• Staff have a good understanding of how to support children's communication and language development. They converse with children throughout the day and implement small-group games to help children build a wide vocabulary. Children find confidence to use their voices as they sing familiar rhymes and songs. Children who are non-verbal learn to use signs and gestures to express themselves. Children are confident communicators.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities extremely well. They have a deep understanding of their needs. They liaise with parents and other professionals to put care plans in place to ensure a consistent approach to their care. Staff have a flexible approach and respond quickly to children's emerging needs and abilities. As a result, these children make good progress.
• Staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour and are consistent in their approach. They use effective strategies to teach children to regulate their behaviour. For example, pre-school children learn to take turns by passing around the jug of water at lunchtime. Children are very well behaved.
• Children learn to manage their personal needs. Staff teach them to wash their hands before meals and to put on their own shoes to go outdoors. Children know where to find their personal belongings and collect their own comforters for sleep. Children learn to be independent, which prepares them well for later life.
• At times, staff do not implement some planned group activities as flexibly as they could. As a result, some children struggle to maintain attention and interest as the sessions are too long or complicated for their stage of development. However, this does not impact on children's enjoyment and well-being overall.
• Children learn to keep themselves safe. Staff remind them to sit down when eating and to take care when walking on slippery sand. Staff model positive interactions that respect children's personal space. For example, they ask children if they want to be patted to sleep. This helps children learn to express their personal preferences and supports their self-esteem.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Parents receive support and guidance to support their children's learning at home. For example, staff liaise with parents to put plans in place to support children's development, such as toilet training and ceasing dummy use. Leaders and managers seek feedback from parents as part of their reflective practice. Parents have a high level of trust in the staff and feel extremely well supported.
• Leaders and managers are strong role models. They have a hands-on approach and consistently model appropriate interactions with children, parents and other professionals. Staff receive frequent supervision, which provides them with opportunities to reflect on their practice. As a result, they have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities, which has a positive impact on the quality of care and teaching children receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop group times so they are tailored to meet all children's needs.