Partou Up & Away Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, settled and safe at this fully inclusive nursery. Leaders and staff have designed an exciting and varied curriculum to meet the developmental needs and interests of the children in their care. For example, staff support children to become physically active. Babies learn to pull themselves up, in preparation for walking. Toddlers are confident to safely climb apparatus, and pre-school children take part in weekly activities provided by sports coaches. Staff keenly follow children's experiences and interests. For example, staff have introduced children to an additional language following their summer holidays. Children are learning key words in Spanish. They are beginning to show a good understanding of their new language, as they call out 'adios' when visitors leave their room.

Leaders and staff place a strong emphasis on building secure attachments with children and their families. This helps children to settle into the nursery quickly and be ready to learn. Staff have high aspirations for children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) and children in receipt of additional funding. The effective key-worker system and accurate use of assessment means that gaps in children's learning are identified and swiftly acted on. All children are well prepared for their next steps in learning. Staff set clear expectations for behaviour. Consequently, children behave well, and they share and wait their turn during group activities. Staff model how to treat others with respect. Children are kind to each other and say please and thank you to each other.

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

• Leaders and staff are committed to improving their own practice through continuous development. All staff receive targeted training to improve their practice and outcomes for children. For example, staff undertake specialist training in supporting children who speak EAL. Staff reflect on how this training has helped them to implement effective strategies to communicate with children and their families. There is a strong focus on staff well-being. As a result, staff say they feel well supported, and strive to provide the best possible start for children in their care.
• Children learn about healthy lifestyles. The nursery cook provides healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. Children drink water frequently. Children's oral health is promoted well. Staff support children and parents to understand the impact some food can have on their teeth. When children brush their teeth in nursery, they confidently tell the inspector how long they need to brush them for. Children are taught to wash their hands before mealtimes and after using the toilet. These activities support them in forming healthy habits for their future.
• Staff support children's communication, language and literacy well. Children are immersed in an environment full of stories, songs, rhymes and conversations. Babies cuddle up with staff to explore a book. Toddlers enjoy mark-making in their messy play. Furthermore, when investigating the bug house, pre-school children name the bugs they have found and hold deep conversations about their habitat. Children are confident communicators and are beginning to understand that print has meaning.
• Overall, staff manage children's routines of the day well. They provide children with information before routines change. For example, babies are invited to have their nappy changed. This helps them to understand what is happening next. However, at lunchtime, some care routines take too long to complete. This means that young children are expected to wait for extended periods once they have sat down before they receive their food. Therefore, children become restless.
• Leaders and staff place great importance on partnership with parents, carers and professionals. The setting is adorned with photos of children and their family members, which helps children to feel settled and secure. Parents and carers have regular meetings with staff to discuss their child's progress. Furthermore, staff assist parents and carers to access external services for advice and guidance. Local employers are regular visitors to the setting to talk to children about the jobs they do in their community. This helps children make sense of the physical world around them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of lunchtime care routines to ensure that young children do not wait for extended periods to receive their food.