Peter Pan Nursery Gobowen

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are incredibly positive role models. They show the children high levels of care and love. This helps children to build lasting relationships with their key person. Children are happy and settled. They enjoy singing and musical activities. Babies smile and laugh as they shake different musical instruments. Older children move their bodies and join in with the words of familiar songs and rhymes. Staff have regular discussions with the children about their feelings and emotions. They support children to self-regulate when they become upset. This works well, and children settle extremely quickly. Children behave well.

Children are thriving at this setting. They have developed positive relationships with each other. Children use their imagination as they play 'mommies and daddies' together in the home corner. Leaders have developed an ambitious and varied curriculum. Staff use what they know about the children to plan a range of learning experiences for them to engage with. Children maintain high levels of engagement as they play. They enjoy mark-making activities. Staff model to the children how they can make a range of letters and shapes in the sand. Staff share key information with each other and other settings that children are due to attend. This helps to ensure that children receive the consistency they require.

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

• Leaders are passionate and knowledgeable. They have taken the setting on a journey of improvement since their last inspection. Leaders have developed an action plan that identifies further ways the setting can improve over time.
• The curriculum covers all areas of learning. It is sequenced well to build on what children know and can do in stages. Leaders have developed clear aims for the children as they transition through the setting. They have taken steps to ensure that all staff fully understand the curriculum.
• Leaders place a focus on children's communication and language development. Children of all ages take stories home that they can share with their parents or carers. Staff surround children with language as they play. However, there are occasions when staff do not pronounce words correctly when they talk to the children. For example, they call a worm 'wormie' or a bird 'birdie'. This does not fully build on children's vocabulary and language development.
• Staff find out children's starting points from parents. They then complete their own observations and assessments of the children. This helps them to identify any gaps in the children's learning. Staff use this information well to help identify next steps for children to achieve.
• Staff plan an array of stimulating activities for the children based on their next steps and interests. However, at times, the organisation of activities and group times is not well thought out. For example, staff split children into small groups, but they sit in very close proximity to each other. Consequently, this leads to occasions where children become distracted.
• The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works well alongside parents, carers, staff and other professionals. Together, they develop a range of plans for the children. This practice helps to ensure that children with SEND receive the timely and specialist support they require.
• Staff place a focus on supporting children's physical development. Babies have lots of space to crawl, pull themselves up and take steps. Older children enjoy taking walks around the large outdoor space. Staff give children plenty of opportunities to take rests when needed. Children of all ages also practise their balancing and climbing skills.
• Staff speak highly about how leaders support their mental health. Leaders have regular review meetings with staff. During these meetings, they talk to staff about their practice, any training needs or concerns they may have. Staff have lots of opportunities to attend training to help develop their knowledge and skills. This has helped to raise the quality of teaching and learning children receive.
• Parents and carers speak positively about staff. They state that their children love to attend. Parents add that leaders have an open door, where they can address any concerns they have. Staff keep parents and carers well informed about their child's day and their child's development. They provide lots of ideas and suggestions for how parents can support their child at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of activities and key group times with an aim to ensure that all children's learning is maximised
• support staff to model language correctly to children as they play in order to build on children's vocabulary and language development.