Prospect House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love spending time in this highly nurturing home-from-home nursery. The passionate leadership team and enthusiastic staff team create an environment where all children thrive. Children are eager to arrive and separate easily from their parents and carers, happy to begin their day. Through a programme of highly effective settling-in sessions, including home visits, staff and children build trusting relationships from the start. Children are incredibly happy and content, which shows they feel safe and secure.

Children are motivated learners and demonstrate high levels of concentration and engagement. Staff implement a sequenced and ambitious curriculum that is embedded well throughout the nursery. Children are excited to explore the vast array of inspiring and creative spaces that staff plan to meet their individual needs. For example, older children enjoy making Easter finger puppets. They use needles and thread to sew material together and develop their fine motor skills. Staff support children to keep on trying. This helps children to persevere and to succeed.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive exceptionally strong support. Staff are extremely proactive in identifying children who may have SEND and put strategies in place to meet their needs. They work in close partnership with parents and other professionals to offer tailored support. Staff make the best possible use of the newly transformed sensory rooms to support the individual needs of children. Children with SEND make strong progress.

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

• The leadership team is ambitious and has a clear vision for the nursery. They place a strong emphasis on supporting the well-being of their staff team. Staff feel valued and appreciated. They receive regular supervision sessions and attend regular training and development opportunities. However, leaders do not regularly observe staff or provide feedback on their daily practice. This means that they do not consistently identify areas for development to help staff raise the quality of education even further.
• Staff successfully help children to develop an awareness of leading a healthy lifestyle. For example, children enjoy making fruit kebabs. Staff speak to the children about healthy options and encourage them to try new foods. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious snacks and meals each day and engage in regular physical play. Staff provide activities to teach children about good oral health. Children use foam and toothbrushes to practise brushing images of teeth.
• Partnership with parents is excellent. Staff use an online app and face-to-face communication to keep parents informed about their children's day. Parents are invited in for stay-and-play sessions and to discuss their children's progress. Next steps are regularly shared for continued learning at home. Parents' feedback about the setting is extremely positive. They value staff's dedication and passionate support for their children's learning.
• Overall, staff support children to develop their mathematical skills well. During planned activities, staff help children to learn mathematical concepts. For example, children look for numbers on the scales as they add ingredients to make hot cross buns. However, mathematical concepts are not consistently introduced in child-initiated play to help children to develop a deeper knowledge in this area.
• Supporting children's communication and language development is prioritised. Staff understand the importance of children being effective communicators. They use sign language, singing, storybooks and visual timetables effectively to support children's learning. Children attend weekly French lessons, where they learn to sing and use French words. Staff ask children effective questions and allow them the time they need to think and respond. Children are confident communicators.
• Staff support children to develop their independence well. They consider children's development and independence appropriately, according to their capabilities, before transitioning to the next room. Younger children are encouraged to feed themselves. Older children show confidence as they collect their own cutlery at mealtimes, serve themselves food and pour their own drinks. All children wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating.
• Children have daily access to the newly refurbished outdoor area. Staff plan an array of purposeful physical experiences to help children build coordination and a wide range of movements. Children enjoy running, climbing, jumping and balancing. Staff provide consistent opportunities for children to build on their learning outdoors. For instance, children learn about nature as they grow carrots and sunflowers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the evaluation process to be able to further identify areas for development to raise the quality of education to an even higher level
• support staff to introduce more mathematical concepts into everyday play to build on children's skills and knowledge.