Play & Learn Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are settled and confident in this warm and welcoming nursery. They are deeply engaged in purposeful play and enjoy the calm, nurturing environment. Strong, trusting relationships help children feel safe and emotionally secure. They approach staff with ease and show high levels of well-being.

Children benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum that builds on what they already know and can do. Activities are planned around their interests and spark curiosity. For example, during group time, children sing a rhyme about 'big and small', 'fast and slow'. Staff guide the discussion by asking, 'What were we learning about?' and children confidently reply, 'Opposites'. Staff extend learning with thoughtful questions and practical examples, such as comparing how objects move. Outdoors, children challenge their physical skills by balancing on crates and planks, helping to build strength, coordination and confidence. These experiences support physical development and the ability to take safe risks.

Staff are calm and consistent role models. They have high expectations for behaviour and gently remind children of routines and safety. For instance, when children begin to run indoors, staff explain that they might fall and hurt themselves. Children develop a strong sense of responsibility and care for others. They show enthusiasm in their play and a growing independence, helping to prepare them for future learning.

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

• Staff skilfully support children's communication and language throughout the day. They hold purposeful conversations, introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to share their thoughts. For example, during small-world play, children use words, such as 'omnivore' and 'aquarium', in context. This supports their confidence, comprehension and ability to communicate effectively.
• Staff observe children carefully and use assessments to identify their next steps in learning. However, staff are not consistently aware of these next steps for all children, particularly when working outside of their usual room. This means that, at times, staff do not make the most of opportunities to build on what children already know and can do.
• Staff plan a wide range of enjoyable activities that reflect children's interests. However, occasionally the specific learning intentions of adult-led activities are not clearly identified or embedded into practice. This means that, occasionally, the focus of some teaching is less precise, and learning opportunities are not consistently maximised.
• Staff promote children's independence well. They confidently serve their own snacks, tidy away resources and follow self-care routines, such as toothbrushing.
• These everyday responsibilities help children become confident, capable individuals.
• Staff foster a love of stories, rhymes and songs through daily routines and well-planned experiences. Children independently select books to enjoy with peers or adults and engage enthusiastically in number songs, such as 'Five Little Ducks', using props to support understanding. These activities build listening and attention, early literacy and a positive attitude to learning.
• Children benefit from a menu of healthy, home-cooked meals and snacks prepared on site. Staff talk to children about the benefits of different food, such as fruit, during play. This supports children's physical development and helps them understand the importance of making healthy choices.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Families speak positively about the warm, approachable staff and feel well informed about their child's progress. They value the option to borrow home learning packs linked to all areas of the curriculum, which helps them to support learning at home. This collaborative approach promotes consistency and strengthens outcomes for children.
• Leaders identify children with additional needs quickly and ensure timely referrals are made to external professionals. Staff adapt routines and implement targeted support to meet individual needs. This ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully included and make progress from their starting points in their learning.
• Staff describe the leadership team as approachable and supportive. They describe feeling valued and listened to. Regular supervisions and team meetings allow staff to reflect on their practice, share key information and discuss children's needs. This open communication and collaborative culture helps to ensure strong continuity of care and a consistent approach to teaching across the setting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen how information about children's next steps is shared across the staff team, to better support staff in building on what children already know and can do
• ensure learning intentions are clearly identified in adult-led activities, so that staff can focus interactions and maximise children's learning.