Peques Anglo-Spanish Nursery Schools

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This setting provides children with a happy and safe learning environment. A gentle and gradual settling-in process enables children to form strong relationships with key people. This creates a smooth transition where children show confidence in their environment. Staff have high expectations of children. Even the youngest children are supported to feed themselves independently. Older children confidently serve their own meals from trays and remind each other to use good table manners. Children behave well. They understand the rules and boundaries of the setting and adhere to them. For example, when children hear the bell sound for tidy-up time, they immediately begin helping to clear away resources.

Staff within the setting implement a curriculum which offers challenge to all. Children are independent in selecting learning opportunities and show high levels of engagement with experiences offered. Provision for children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. Children with SEND make good progress from their starting points and are supported to engage in the full range of learning opportunities available. Staff work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that the environment is inclusive for all children. For example, the installation of sound boards reduces the echo for children with hearing impairments.

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

• Leaders and managers have ambitious plans for the nursery. They are extremely passionate about providing a high quality of teaching. Managers support staff with regular meetings. Staff are encouraged to undertake training that will benefit their roles and personal development. A well-being officer allows somewhere for staff to seek support if needed.
• Staff have a strong understanding of how to observe and plan for children's next steps. This is implemented well across the whole setting and, as a result, children make good progress from their starting points and are ready for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff understand how to support children's early communication and language skills. Staff who work with younger children use repetition in both Spanish and English to familiarise children with key words. Songs and stories with puppets help children to build their vocabulary.
• Older children's vocabulary is promoted through interactive story times that encourage children to use their imagination and make predictions for what might happen next. However, during activities, some staff do not make the most of opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations with children. Closed rather than open questioning mean children are not challenged to use their widening vocabulary to express their ideas and opinions.
• Transition times support learning well across most of the setting, but do not support all children's needs. Sometimes, younger children become restless when left waiting too long for the next activity or experience to start.
• The setting runs several projects that enable children from all backgrounds to experience opportunities that may not be available to them otherwise. Children help to care for pet fish and tortoises. This teaches them about life cycles and caring for living creatures. There is an allotment and planting area in the garden which teaches children about where food comes from. A pop-up library allows children to have wider access to a range of different books and reading materials.
• The promotion of diversity and inclusion are embedded within the setting. Celebrations of different cultural events take place throughout the year. Children learn about their similarities and differences to others. They are taught to respect each other and value one another's opinions, developing self-esteem. Children begin to understand the concept of democracy by voting on matters such as which vegetables they would like to grow.
• Children are well supported to develop healthy lifestyles. The kitchen supervisor is extremely passionate about providing children with nutritional balanced meals. During periods when the nursery was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the kitchen supervisor provided videos for families at home. These videos encouraged families to cook along with him, making a variety of foods, from bread to curries.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents report being happy with communication. The setting listens to feedback given in questionnaires by implementing appropriate changes. Children's progress is shared regularly with parents.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve how transition times for younger children are arranged to support children's needs
• ensure all staff understand how to provide quality interactions that support children's language and communication development.