Plaxtol Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this homely nursery. The nursery is regarded as the hub of the village. Every child and family are welcomed and valued. Each child's unique qualities, characteristics and personal traits are fully respected, and planned for. This means each child makes good, or better, progress from their individual starting points.

Children make exceptional gains in their personal development as staff have high expectations of every child. Children thoroughly respect the individual needs of their friends. For example, some children need more support in their speaking and communication skills than others. Those who are more confident in speaking out loud are patient. They recognise that not all children have the same ability as they do. Children are exceptionally respectful of this and show great empathy and maturity for their age.

Children behave exceptionally well. They are kind and caring and form close attachments to the staff who look after them. Children are extremely confident. They develop excellent levels of independence. From a very young age, children become adept and skilful in using knives to prepare their fruits at snack time. Children manage this so well because staff have taught them clearly how to understand potential risks and avoid accidents.

The nursery's ethos of 'fun, friends and firm foundations' is fully reflected in the experiences children have at nursery. For example, they develop a real love of learning, and a thirst for knowledge. They gain a good range of skills to support them in their transfer to school and future learning.

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

• Staff plan a range of activities, which are interesting, based on what children enjoy and provide relevant challenge. The curriculum is enriched by exciting activities away from the nursery, such as visits to the farm to watch lambs being born, strawberry and apple picking and outings to the local llama park.
• Good-quality teaching enables children to learn extensively about the world around them, and about the consequences of their actions and behaviours on others. For example, children explored the impact of plastic in our oceans and how this affects sea creatures. Children spoke to the inspector fluently and confidently about how we must not allow plastic to go in the sea and be of threat to marine life.
• The support for children's personal development is excellent. Children have outstanding opportunities to develop confidence, independence and a moral responsibility. They have an exceptional knowledge of how they must respect the needs of others. They behave with kindness and show excellent levels of care for each other, the nursery environment and the staff who look after them. The empathy shown between children, and the respect they clearly have for their peers, is impressive for their young age.
• Children's emotional needs are met well. Some children have found it harder than others to return to nursery following lockdown. Staff are very aware of this and work closely with parents to support every child's needs. The key-person system is extremely effective. Children approach staff confidently and know they will be given comfort and support.
• Links between home and nursery are good. Parents are very complimentary about the staff and commend the way in which they support every child. Parents are very happy with the level of care and attention given to each child, and with the progress children make in their learning and development.
• Leaders constantly reflect on what is working well and what children need to learn next. They accurately recognise where some improvements in teaching and the provision for children's mathematical development are needed. For example, staff have noted that children are not using mathematical resources much in their play, so further planning and training for staff are needed in this area. Leaders have already prepared relevant action plans to address these issues.
• Following lockdown, and the implications of COVID-19, some children need more support in speaking confidently and fluently at nursery. Staff recognise this well and are offering targeted support to those who need it. Some staff are particularly skilled in promoting language development. However, at times, teaching does not always extend every child's language skills. For example, occasionally, staff ask questions which do not encourage children to think in detail and enrich their vocabulary. Sometimes, staff step in too quickly and do not offer children sufficient time to process information and give a response.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the quality of teaching to ensure staff consistently use opportunities to enrich children's language and reasoning skills
• increase the opportunities for children to develop their good mathematical skills further.