Petite Starz Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff develop strong, nurturing relationships with children at this warm and welcoming nursery. Staff tenderly greet the children and families at the start of the day. This helps children feel comfortable and settle quickly in their surroundings. Staff model respect and use soft tones with all the children. Children learn to be kind to their friends, take turns and share the resources. All children behave well.

Staff plan an ambitious and broad curriculum to meet children's individual needs and stimulate the interests of all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children have a positive attitude to learning and show high levels of enjoyment and curiosity. For example, staff use activities to develop children's small hand muscles as children enjoy mark making as they paint and mix colours on large paper on the garden wall. This supports children's early writing skills.

Staff pay particular attention to children's physical development, as many of the children who attend do not have gardens. For example, children take part in regular yoga sessions. They wave large bamboo leaves in the air, pretending to be tall, strong trees. This helps them develop their core, balance and coordination skills. Children are keen, confident and motivated to learn.

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

• The manager and deputy manager have designed a curriculum that allows all children to progress across all learning areas. Staff know the children well. They plan interesting learning opportunities, based on children's interests, that support and build on children's learning. Staff talk about going on holidays and plan a day out at the beach in the garden area. Children sit in a home-made beach, filling buckets with sand to make sandcastles and happily splashing their feet in a paddling pool.
• There is a strong emphasis on reading and language. Children have lots of opportunities to look at books, both independently and with staff. Children really enjoy well-read stories with staff and love discussing them. Staff listen well to children and introduce them to new words to extend children's vocabulary. They engage children in meaningful conversations. Staff use questions effectively to challenge children's thinking skills. For example, after story time, staff ask children to think about what they will need a passport for and what items they may need to take with them in their suitcase. Children make good progress in their literacy and communication and language development.
• Practice is inclusive. Children from different backgrounds and cultures learn and develop in the nursery's positive and friendly atmosphere. Staff respect every child for being a unique individual, regardless of their ability, background or needs. Staff support children to understand and talk about their feelings and how their behaviour has an impact on the feelings of others. Staff manage children's behaviour effectively. They consistently teach children the skills they need to negotiate and work together harmoniously.
• Overall, staff encourage children to be independent during their day at the nursery. For instance, children wash their hands and tidy away after play. However, at times, adults do things for children that they could do themselves. For example, staff serve children at snack time and help them to take off their shoes. This has an impact on children demonstrating that they can do things independently.
• Staff develop strong relationships with parents. There is good information-sharing, both verbally and online, so that children's care needs are known and met. Parents are pleased with the provision and they comment favourably on the good communication they have with staff. They say that staff are 'friendly' and 'approachable'. Parents feel that their children are happy and safe.
• In the main, leaders are knowledgeable and passionate about how to deliver good-quality education for young children. They accurately highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the teaching that children receive. Staff complete mandatory training, as well as training of their individual choosing. However, training is not targeted at the specific individual continual professional development that staff may need to raise the quality of their teaching to an even higher level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• increase the opportunities for children to develop their independence and do things by themselves
• target staff training and professional development opportunities to focus more precisely on helping all staff to build on their knowledge, understanding and skills.