PJ's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, busy, and clearly enjoy their time at the lively nursery. They show that they feel safe, as they go to staff for reassurance and cuddles throughout the day. Children show positive attitudes towards their play and learning. They are focused and engaged in the interesting activities that they join and choose throughout their day. Children paint 'melted snowmen' with their hands, using white paint on black paper. They know that a snowman will melt in warm sunshine.

Children's speech and language skills are promoted as a focus in the nursery. Children enjoy stories and staff sing joyfully throughout the day. Children learn and practise new vocabulary as they listen carefully to staff's modelling of speech. Older children recognise the letters in their names and are developing early reading skills with support from skilled staff. Children are confident communicators.

Children develop a sense of responsibility. For example, older children help their younger friends put on their coats and hats to play outside. Children behave well and work hard to achieve the high expectations of staff. Children are confident and respectful. They chat politely to visitors to their nursery. Staff are good role models and remind them to use good manners if they forget.

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

• Leaders are committed to offering high-quality learning experiences for every child. They evaluate the provision regularly and take account of staff's, parent's, and children's views. Staff feel well supported by their colleagues and leaders. Consequently, they work hard to progress in their roles, which continually raises the standards of teaching and learning.
• Staff training is focused to benefit children and informed by monitoring staff's practice and staff supervisions. Staff have completed training on supporting children's mental health, as they have noticed children and families struggling with this after the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff's additional knowledge since this training helps support children's emotional well-being.
• Staff plan a broad curriculum taking account of children's interests. Effective systems for monitoring and assessment give staff an insightful knowledge of what children already know and can do. Children are, therefore, offered appropriate levels of challenge. Gaps in children's knowledge and development are identified and quickly narrowed with targeted support. Children make good progress in all areas of learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Their learning is measured in smaller steps to enable accurate monitoring of progress. Leaders liaise with other professionals to access appropriate support for children's specific needs. Additional funding is spent appropriately. For example, extra staff are employed for one-to-one support for some children. Consequently, children with SEND make progress from their individual starting points.
• Children are physically active from an early age. Babies are encouraged to use their core muscles to sit, stand and bend as they join in with familiar songs and actions. Older children hone their coordination skills as they balance and jump on 'stepping-stones'. Children's physical development and overall well-being is well supported.
• While children develop some independence skills, there is scope to improve this even further, particularly for older children as they approach their move on to school. For example, at mealtimes, older children use the same plastic bowls and cups as their younger peers and are not encouraged to pour their own drinks or cut up or serve their own food. However, children are supported well to learn to manage their own self-care needs and to develop good hygiene habits.
• Staff support children to understand difference and similarity. Children learn about people with disabilities and with different types of families. Children learn about a staff member's Scottish heritage as they hear bagpipes being played and take part in 'haggis-hurling'. Outings into the local village help children learn about their community. Children begin to learn about life in modern Britain.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are sound. Staff communicate plenty of information about children's learning. The focus story and song each month helps parents to extend children's learning at home. Parents and carers comment positively on the communication and support offered by staff and leaders.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• promote older children's independence skills even further, particularly around routines of the day, to prepare them even more thoroughly for their move on to school.