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What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children form secure relationships with staff and children in this happy and nurturing nursery. They receive a friendly welcome from staff when they arrive. Children separate from their parents with ease and are eager to start their day, showing their high levels of confidence and sense of security within the nursery.

Leaders and managers have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that builds on children's learning over time. Staff have a clear understanding of this and plan a wealth of activities and experiences that help children to make good progress in their development. Babies happily join in with song time. They use musical instruments to make sounds and follow actions to familiar songs and rhymes. Two-year-old children are supported to develop their small-hand muscles in readiness for writing. They practise how to hold and use scissors safely and use different tools to manipulate dough. Older children skilfully use long-handled paint brushes to create their own pictures. They select different colours for a particular purpose from a palette. Staff talk to children about what they choose to paint, building on their conversational skills.

Staff have high expectations for every child's behaviour and conduct. They provide ample opportunities for children to have a go at completing tasks for themselves. Younger children persevere in putting on their own socks and shoes after a music and movement session. Older children independently collect their own meals and pour their own drinks at mealtimes.

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

• Leaders and managers are passionate about supporting and promoting children's learning. They use self-evaluation effectively to continually build on the quality of provision for children. Children access an extended offer of extra-curricular activities, including music and movement sessions, French lessons and outdoor experiences, which further broadens their opportunities for learning.
• Staff are kind and considerate towards children. They consistently take time to talk to children about their feelings, which they acknowledge and validate. Staff use these times to support children to understand how to manage their emotions in order to behave appropriately. Children receive praise and recognition from staff when they resolve their frustrations or conflicts verbally, which develops children's social skills and character.
• Children have ample opportunity to learn about the world around them. They observe chicks hatch from eggs and learn to handle and take care of them from the start of their life. The nursery celebrates a vast range of festivals from around the world. Children confidently talk about and celebrate the cultures of themselves and their peers, showing their appreciation for diversity.
• Staff get to know children well. They have a deep knowledge of children's interests and individual stages of learning. This information is used effectively to identify and plan for what children need to learn next to make progress in their development. That said, staff do not always recognise or respond to children who are less engaged in their learning, or to those who wait for longer periods of time to join in with activities. This means that not all children consistently benefit from high-quality teaching experiences.
• Children develop a love for reading. They access a variety of books and choose stories they would like to read. Older children create their own books based on their favourite stories. They draw pictures of what they recall from the story, showing their understanding of the content.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support. Leaders and managers take swift action when delays are identified in children's learning. They observe children to identify strategies for staff to provide individualised support. Leaders and managers liaise with external professionals to obtain any additional help that may benefit children. This means that children are supported to reach their full potential in the nursery.
• Parents are fully engaged in children's care and learning. They complement the daily information they receive from staff through discussions and an online app. Staff and parents share written communication through a 'Chatterbox book' about children's activities and individual next steps in learning. This helps to promote continuity for children between the nursery and at home.
• Staff consistently comment that they feel highly supported in their roles and are able to raise any issues or concerns they may have. Leaders and managers are thoughtful about the workloads and pressures on staff. Staff receive regular opportunities for supervision to discuss any issues or concerns they have, and obtain any support they may need. They access a range of training opportunities, which help them to understand and fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus more precisely on increasing staff's teaching skills so that all children's learning is consistently extended.