Pomegranate

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are motivated, engaged learners. Babies gaze intensely at their own reflections and make excited cooing noises. Toddlers create sand structures outdoors and independently master large, physical play equipment, like climbing frames. Older children begin to count out loud and use impressive imaginative skills with their peers. For instance, children gather fallen conkers from the nursery grounds and use them to 'cook' delicious meals in the outdoor mud kitchen. They giggle as they stir and offer a taste to their peers and staff. All children develop a genuine love for reading. They use stories as a method of relaxation. For example, children who are feeling frustrated take themselves to a quiet space outdoors and read for a while before returning happily to play. This is supportive of children's emotional literacy and understanding. These skills are useful, especially when considering children's upcoming move to primary school.

Staff have high expectations for every child. They recognise children's individual learning styles and needs, adapting the curriculum to meet these effectively. Children steadily develop new skills and show real interest in their learning. Children behave well. They are respectful to adults and their peers. They use kind language and impressive manners. This helps to cement their growing friendships which contributes to their overall happiness at the nursery.

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

• The management team have implemented significant improvements since their previous inspection. The newly instated manager has a robust understanding of her role and responsibilities. She maintains constant oversight of her staff team and supports them to evolve and master new skills. Staff appreciate this reliable support and enjoy gaining new knowledge through training and other professional development opportunities. This helps to ensure that all children experience a high quality of care and education at the nursery.
• Parents value the staff and the management team. They appreciate the 'warm and loving atmosphere' they feel within the nursery. They particularly commend the new manager and her unwavering support for every family. Parents feel informed about their children's ongoing development, and this helps them to feel equipped to further support their learning at home.
• Overall, children's personal development is well supported. Children know they can access fresh drinking water at all times. They independently uncap and refill their bottles when they need a drink. They play outside regularly, building new large-muscle skills and enjoying fresh air. Babies have warm, affectionate relationships with staff which supports their feelings of security within the nursery. However, children eat packed lunches daily, and parents do not always send healthy foods and drinks. The management team have plans to encourage healthier foods but the impact of these plans is not yet seen. This does not support children to understand the benefits of making healthy choices within their diets.
• The management team have devised a well thought out, sequenced, challenging curriculum. Children enjoy this, showing high levels of concentration and engagement. Children who speak English as an additional language make swift progress, partly as a result of the targeted support provided by staff. However, some group activities are not well organised. Some quieter children do not get as eagerly involved as their peers which means they do not engage with all of the planned aspects of learning. Despite this all children make good progress in their development.
• Staff validate children's feelings. They recognise when children are struggling with their emotions and swiftly begin to support them. They help children to talk about what they are experiencing and to come up with solutions to make them feel happier. Children respond well to this. They begin to identify ways they can calm down and also ways to support their peers. This emotional resilience is an invaluable skill for children.
• Younger children excitedly explore new shapes, colours and sounds. Older children count objects, use language of size and measure, and estimate and identify numbers and shapes. Staff encourage children by skilfully inserting elements of mathematics into all activities. Children's mathematics development is well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• organise group activities more effectively so all children can partake and access the planned learning
• consider ways to further support children's good health, especially with regards to making healthy choices at mealtimes.