Queenswood Lodge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Across the nursery, children show positive attitudes to their learning. They are self-motivated and eagerly explore the inviting activities and resources that staff provide for them. Babies giggle with delight as they play on the slide, clearly enjoying impromptu games of peekaboo with attentive staff. Young children demonstrate they feel safe and secure with staff, approaching them for cuddles and comfort when needed. Older children play cooperatively with each other. They form strong friendships and a show a 'can-do' attitude. Children keep on trying, such as when they balance on beams outdoors and build towers of blocks. They are proud of their achievements and smile broadly when their towers get higher and higher. Children show they enjoy their time at the nursery.

Children benefit from positive staff role models and they behave well. They learn to develop good manners, for example, and how to play with others. Children show that they know the nursery routines and they respond positively to what staff say. For instance, they help to tidy away resources before 'welcome time'. Children learn many skills as they play to support them to move on to the next stage of their education.

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

• The manager has clear aims for the nursery; that children are thriving in a safe and loving environment. The staff are equally focused on supporting children's learning across the nursery. They know the children they care for well and use this knowledge to plan activities to support children's next steps in learning. Children benefit from a stimulating learning environment with well-planned, exciting activities to take part in.
• The nursery curriculum plans to build on what children can do. For instance, babies learn to feed themselves with spoons, and older children move on to using knives and forks. Occasionally, however, staff complete tasks for children that they could manage themselves. For example, staff take young children's shoes off and make choices for babies instead of encouraging them to make their own choices. Staff are not fully supporting children's independence skills to the very highest levels.
• Staff respond positively to the children in their care. They notice babies' interest in looking out of the window, for example, and talk to them about what they can see. This helps babies learn new words, supporting their developing communication skills and emotional well-being effectively.
• Young children learn new words as staff introduce the names of objects that they play with. For example, children explore tea bags with water. Staff comment on what children do, adding in words such as 'pouring' and 'mixing'. They ask children questions to help deepen their learning. Older children explore letters and the sounds that they make. Although staff help them recognise and order letters, the support they offer children is not consistently accurate. Occasionally, children do not benefit from teaching at the very highest levels.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met well. Staff know how to support children with SEND and tailor this effectively to each individual child's learning. Staff build positive partnerships with external professionals who work with children. This ensures children benefit from high levels of continuity for their care and education.
• Children enjoy plenty of uninterrupted time to play outdoors. They run, balance, build and dig. Children benefit from nutritious meals and snacks, shared through social mealtimes. Their physical development is supported well.
• Parents speak highly of the staff team and the care their children receive. For example, staff encourage parents to borrow home learning bags to support their children's learning even further at home. This joined-up approach supports consistency for children's learning.
• The nursery manager reflects on practice well and makes plans for ongoing developments. She monitors staff's practice and encourages them to develop their skills and knowledge. Staff comment positively about how the manager supports their well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to have consistently high expectations for children and extend children's independence skills during daily tasks and hygiene routines
• continue to build on staff's practice so that all children benefit from consistently high-quality learning experiences.