Quorn Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this friendly setting. They are excited to see staff when they arrive. Children greet staff with a big cheery shout of their name and run into their arms for a hug. Children behave well and play harmoniously together. They take care of their environment, tidying up when asked. Staff act as role models as they talk to children with care and respect. For example, they thank children for following instructions. Staff have high expectations of what children can do and often say, 'You have a try, if you cannot do it then I will help you.' This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem.

Children are keen to explore learning opportunities, which staff offer based on their interests. For example, children show their imagination as they play with small-world toys. When children are playing, staff talk to them about their own life experiences. This helps children to hear language in context, which supports their early understanding and language development. Children use their early reading skills and find their written name to record their arrival at pre-school. They show good levels of independence, and access the bathroom and manage their own personal needs. This contributes to children being ready for starting school.

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

• The provider has worked closely with the local authority and outside agencies to address actions set at the last inspection. Staff have regular supervision meetings and access a range of training. This enables them to reflect on their practice and improve outcomes for children. Furthermore, staff have a thorough understanding of the curriculum, what they are teaching and what the children are learning.
• Staff know children well and plan the curriculum based on what they want children to learn. There is an emphasis on inspiring children to be curious. Staff identify if a child may need additional support from the outset. They work very well with families and external agencies, to ensure that the children progress in their learning.
• Children develop a love of reading. Staff make stories, books and songs a priority in the daily routine. They read books and sing songs daily and the children participate with concentration and attention. Children bring favourite books and snuggle up with staff to read together.
• Since the last inspection, physical development has been given extra attention. Children are developing their physical skills through a range of activities. Outdoors, they use their fine motor grip to place baubles on a Christmas tree. Indoors, they tackle climbing and sliding on the large equipment. Fortnightly, children enjoy an activity session where they take part in different sports. This is helping to improve their muscle tone, strength and coordination.
• The staff are proactive in sending information to parents about internet safety. However, the children do not have many opportunities to develop their understanding of how to identify potential hazards when using internet enabled devices.
• Staff plan age-appropriate and sufficiently challenging activities for the children that they know will interest them. For example, children learn to master scissors as they cut out pictures from a catalogue. They explore their creativity and use glue and glitter to create pictures. However, very occasionally, staff do not recognise when some children, who are quiet and less confident, need more support to engage in learning experiences.
• Staff promote children's independence effectively in a range of ways. They provide water and milk in small jugs, so that children can pour their own drinks successfully. At snack and lunchtime, there is an emphasis on children peeling their fruit and managing their own food packaging.
• Staff provide experiences for children to express themselves creatively. For example, children eagerly join in with sessions provided by an external teacher. They do actions to songs and rhymes when asked and have beaming smiles as they chase bubbles and balloons.
• Staff use plenty of positive reinforcement and praise, when talking to the children. Children follow simple and more complex instructions, and have a clear, embedded routine.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to broaden children's understanding of potential hazards when they use internet enabled devices
• support staff to recognise when children who are quiet and less confident need support to engage in learning experiences.