Poppets Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their families receive a warm welcome from the caring and friendly staff at this setting. Children show enthusiasm for learning as they choose what they would like to play with from the wide range of interesting activities staff have carefully planned and prepared. Leaders and staff plan and implement a curriculum that is sequenced so children continually build and enhance their skills. Consideration is given to the curriculum outdoors, to ensure activities continue to support all areas of learning. The promotion of children's communication and language is a particular strength of the nursery. For example, staff use sign language alongside verbal communication and implement communication tools to carry out targeted intervention work with children. Staff use visual cues to further support children in their communication and vocabulary. All children make good progress in their learning.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and conduct. Behaviour management is consistent, and children are guided in practising appropriate rules and behaviours. Staff help children to resolve conflicts independently by reminding them to use the sand timers to let children know when it is their turn. Children behave well. They listen to the staff and follow instructions. Children demonstrate they understand the setting's routines and boundaries. For example, they happily help tidy the toys away when instructed before routine changes. Staff encourage and support children to play cooperatively with their peers. They teach children how to share and take turns. This helps build children's social skills.

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

• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to have the same opportunities to access the curriculum alongside their friends. Staff invite other professionals into the setting to enable a multi-agency approach to ensuring children's individual needs are met. Staff listen to advice from professionals and implement it in practice to close the gaps in learning.
• Staff seize every opportunity to promote children's understanding of leading a healthy lifestyle. Staff prioritise outdoor learning, which gives children plenty of opportunities for fresh air and active play. Children benefit from discussions about healthy choices, along with gardening activities to grow fruit and vegetables. They enjoy healthy snacks, and staff promote healthy lunch boxes. Staff remind parents about providing a balanced lunch box by including fruit.
• Children benefit from a range of stimulating resources that ignite their imaginations and help to motivate them to explore. For example, children remain focused and engaged for a sustained period when playing together with a doctor's kit. Outdoors, children search for dinosaur fossils. They work collaboratively, problem-solving how to release the dinosaur from the ice block.
• Children enjoy sharing stories with the staff. Opportunities for children to immerse themselves in stories and reading are plentiful, and children can access books freely throughout the day. However, staff do not consistently support children to fully engage and listen intently during some activities. For example, during some adult-led activities, background distractions and noise levels interrupt children's learning and attention.
• Staff support the children's early mathematical development well and incorporate mathematics into activities. Staff encourage children to use their counting skills throughout the day. Older children are confident in their counting and number recognition skills. Children skilfully join magnetic shapes to create imaginative models, proudly telling visitors that they have made a cube or a diamond shape.
• Staff celebrate the diversity in their community and in their interactions. Children frequently visit places of interest in the local community, enjoying walks, trips to the shops and visits to the local library and care home. Staff provide resources and books and plan activities that represent different ethnicities. This helps children to learn about their local area and helps to prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. They are fully involved in nursery life and feel that the support for them and their children is excellent. Parents receive a wealth of information to support their children's learning at home. Parent workshops help them to develop their skills and knowledge so that they can give children the best opportunities to progress at home. For example, recent planting workshops explored the benefits of outdoor play for children.
• Leaders are passionate about their provision. They take a hands-on approach and identify areas for improvement to the already good teaching. Leaders skilfully identify training needs and provide training opportunities for staff to benefit their professional development and the children in their care. Staff feel their well-being is promoted by leaders, and staff are incredibly supportive of each other.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to be able to maintain focus and listen more intently, such as by considering the impact of background distractions on children's engagement and learning.