Peapods Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children on arrival. As a result, children leave their parents easily and quickly settle to play. Children are valued as individuals and develop positive self-esteem. They know the expectations well, with even the youngest children developing a sense of responsibility, such as helping to tidy up. Overall, children develop their independence effectively. For example, older children confidently carry their own plate and cup to the table for mealtimes and then tidy these away afterwards.

Children demonstrate a positive attitude to their play and learning. All ages of children engage very well during their play and activities. For example, older children maintain a strong focus and interest during larger group activities, such as circle and story times. Staff promote and develop children's communication and language skills effectively, including teaching them new words.

Staff have secure knowledge and understanding of the learning intentions of the curriculum. Overall, they consistently implement these and are attentive and supportive to children. This helps to build on children's skills and knowledge. The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, and the resources and activities are well thought out to support children's learning and development. Staff monitor children's progress closely and use relevant assessments to check for any potential gaps in their learning. They are proactive in identifying and providing support for even the smallest gaps. Consequently, children make the progress of which they are capable.

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

• The manager of the nursery has high expectations about what she wants to achieve for children. She supports staff, children and parents effectively. Staff feel very well supported in their roles and well-being. They complete regular professional development and training and receive individual supervision meetings. This helps to support their skills and knowledge and promotes a consistent approach. The nursery's special educational needs coordinator understands their role. This includes the steps to take should children need further support in their learning and development.
• Staff consistently praise children. This helps children to develop high levels of confidence, such as to have a go at something new. This was seen at the inspection when staff supported a child to climb more challenging large play equipment. This encourages children to manage and take appropriate risks. Children develop their large- and small-muscle skills effectively, such as by developing their strength and coordination. Equipment for the youngest children helps them to negotiate different surfaces and levels, including how to safely manage steps.
• Children gain a good sense of themselves and others. Staff value the individuality of children by, for example, celebrating events special to them. In addition, staff working with the youngest children skilfully use photographs on display to help children form early friendships with each other. Staff have a sensitive and caring approach towards children. They respectfully ask children if they can change their nappies and provide encouragement, such as singing favourite songs. Staff support a consistent expectation to respect others. However, occasionally, staff do not fully promote the expectation of respecting resources.
• Staff know what they want individual children to learn, including their next steps in learning, which are clearly identified. This helps all staff to support children's learning and progress. At times, staff do not implement some expectations as well as possible to extend children's knowledge and skills even further. For example, on occasion, staff step in to perform tasks for children that they may be capable of doing themselves. In addition, sometimes, staff do not manage routines as effectively as possible to engage children and promote their learning further.
• Staff use daily experiences to help children develop their skills and knowledge. For example, staff use simple counting with the younger children, such as counting the fruit pieces at snack time. Older children take part in more complex matching and number identification activities. Staff promote all children's language skills very well. For example, they repeat words and regularly sing songs and rhymes with children.
• There are strong partnerships with parents. Staff communicate with parents effectively. Information is shared consistently through daily handover discussions. An online app provides further details about children's learning and development. Parents speak highly about the nursery and staff. They state they and their children are very happy. Parents comment positively about the consistency in staffing, the settling-in process and the good progress their children are making.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build further on staff's understanding of the expectations of their roles and responsibilities in relation to supporting children's care and learning, to help raise the quality of practice to a higher level
• review how routines are managed to help keep children more purposefully engaged at these times.