Peekaboo Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff plan a coherent curriculum to help children 'grow, explore and discover'. They work closely with children and parents to create unique goals that help sequence progress. This supports children to learn in all areas of development they require before their move on to further learning, such as school. Children are excited, engaged in their play and remain focused on tasks they enjoy. Children make a beach with sand and water and talk about rivers flowing into the ocean. They spend time chopping vegetables in the outdoor kitchen area, where they pretend to cook their concoctions. This helps them use their understanding of the world and vocabulary skills.

Staff are kind and caring towards children in this nursery. Children are happy, content and settled. Babies giggle with staff as they dance, catch bubbles and play with musical instruments. Emotional awareness and stability are effective from the start, creating a nurturing environment for children to thrive in. Staff help teach children how to recognise and manage their feelings. They use the recently acquired 'well-being room' to support children to regulate their emotions. Staff plan activities in this environment that help children understand how their actions may impact others. Children behave extremely well and are respectful of the nursery values and their peers.

Staff skilfully support children's speech and language. They use a repertoire of new words with children to extend their vocabulary. For example, children learn about seeds and stalks of a pepper. Babies independently use common noises and sounds from familiar songs. Additionally, they repeat words back when encouraged by staff. Older children enjoy building houses using blocks while recalling the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. This enhances children's literacy skills during their play.

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

• In the main, staff use teaching skills that consider children's interests during play, helping them stay focused. However, staff do not consistently shape and adapt the curriculum to target all children's learning needs. For example, staff do not always give children time to think and embed new knowledge. Additionally, at times, staff do not recognise when groups of children are not participating in meaningful play, particularly boys. This means that occasionally children do not reach their full potential during play.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. They know what their children enjoy at nursery and where they are making the most progress. There is a two-way flow of information between nursery and parents. This helps children to continue to develop and ensures specific needs are shared. Additionally, parents enjoy the stay-and-play sessions on offer. They are encouraged to come into the nursery so they can learn how to support children's play and development.
• Leaders support staff to succeed in their personal and professional development. Some of the coaching provided for staff has improved their knowledge and abilities to help support children. For example, staff have completed courses to help them work more effectively with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, staff have not been monitored closely enough to ensure they consistently deliver the intended curriculum to all children.
• Children visit their local community regularly. They enjoy using money to buy ice cream on the beach. Additionally, children love walking to the local duck pond and attending a local sensory group. Leaders help children integrate with other people and become aware of the diverse world around them. Additionally, it gives all children broader life experiences they may not otherwise experience.
• Staff understand the importance of helping children understand healthy lifestyles. They talk about children's favourite foods to eat at nursery and discuss the benefits to their bodies. Children learn about staying hydrated and enjoy calm breathing to help promote a healthy and calm mind.
• Children are closely tracked in their development in order for staff to recognise and respond to any gaps in learning. Staff swiftly report any concerns for children's development and implement small, targeted plans to help children catch up to their peers and maintain good levels of development. External agency involvement is sought when required. As a result, children make good progress in this nursery.
• Children use their knowledge of mathematical concepts during play. For instance, they compare jugs of water as being full, empty, heavy and light as they pour and mix fruity tea. Additionally, staff encourage children to count and recognise objects within their play. This helps broaden children's understanding and use of numbers and shapes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's existing good teaching to help them deliver all aspects of the curriculum by shaping and adapting their strategies as necessary to meet all children's learning needs.