Play Safe At The Pavilion

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make excellent progress from when they first start in this friendly and nurturing setting. Staff provide children with a curriculum that is designed to support and extend their individual talents and skills. They gather detailed information about children's development from their parents prior to children starting at the setting. Staff use this information to plan meaningful experiences to help children settle. They consistently reflect on children's progress and how they can best support their future learning.

Children learn excellent social skills and behave exceptionally well. Children are highly respectful of adults and peers alike, always showing care and empathy. For instance, children quickly seek out an adult when one of their friends falls over, to ensure their well-being. Children show high levels of confidence when using large outdoor equipment. They stack plastic milk crates and add tyres to create a small obstacle course. Children learn how to manage age-appropriate risks and show excellent physical skills as they climb and balance.

Staff are positive role models. They support the children to understand what makes them unique. Staff challenge stereotypes to help broaden children's awareness of others. For example, when children say only boys argue and get cross and girls do not, staff sensitively explain that we all feel different emotions at times, and teach children how to express themselves.

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

• The new manager has taken positive steps since the last inspection to improve the quality of the nursery. Staff interact with children as they play and build on their learning well. For example, children become highly engaged as they dig in the soil in search of pretend dinosaur bones and fossils. Children discuss and examine what fossils are, then link these to animals that are now extinct.
• Children have extensive opportunities to learn about the world. Children learn about the diverse people and communities around them. For example, children regularly celebrate special days from their own and different cultures, eagerly sharing the celebration with friends. Staff use non-fiction books that educate children about important historical events.
• Older children benefit greatly from the intensive small-group activities. The skilfully weave mathematics through activities for all age groups. Toddlers learn the names of shapes as they excitedly explore the sand. Older children learn that numbers change when they add one more item to a group, when counting out strawberries and raspberries when making fruit ice lollies.
• Children develop incredible independence and self-help skills as the managers and staff have an exceptional understanding of how children develop and learn.
• Staff in each room build on children's skills and knowledge as they progress through the setting. Babies follow their home routines. Children in the adjoining room start to experience more opportunities to develop their independence, such as sitting for snack as a group, using utensils and making choices. Older children independently follow toilet and handwashing routines, and learn to recognise their names.
• Children are immersed in the nursery's language-rich environment. There is a buzz of excitement as children confidently chat away to staff and each other. Children excitedly sing familiar songs and rhymes and retell their favourite stories. Younger children confidently ask questions. Children's vocabulary rapidly expands as they are introduced to words, such as 'consistency', as they use the sand to create 'cement' outside.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents comment on how well their children are progressing in their development, for example, with their confidence and language development. Written feedback is also positive. Parents comment on the positive changes made at the setting by the new manager.
• There is a strong team ethos. Staff are confident in approaching the management team and feel their well-being is valued. The management team has a high regard for their staff. It ensures that staff receive highly focused and effective professional development. They share extensive knowledge with staff to understand how children learn. Regular supervision is provided to guide and encourage staff. As a result, staff's knowledge is consistently built over time, which translates to improved teaching for children.