Raphael Nursery Hammersmith

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children warmly as they arrive at nursery. They are keen to find out what children and their families have been doing at home. Staff use this information to have conversations with children, which helps them feel welcomed and included in the nursery. Children have strong relationships with their key person and separate from parents easily. They enjoy exploring the environment and join their friends as they play. Babies mix sand with water and enjoy the sensory experience. Toddlers investigate lemons and oranges while staff describe what they are seeing and smelling. Staff support children to be curious about the world around them.

Children behave well and learn to be considerate towards each other. They are kind and share with one another. Staff remind children of the expectations. For example, they sing songs about table manners before children eat. Young toddlers pick up hoops in the garden to help tidy up. Staff foster children's independence well. Children serve their own food and then scrape their plates into a bowl after they have finished eating. Toddlers learn to pour their own water from jugs. Staff encourage children to 'have a go' at doing things for themselves.

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

• Leaders have designed a well-thought-out curriculum. Each stage of children's learning has been carefully considered well overall, so that children build on what they can already do as they move through the nursery. Staff know children well and identify what they want them to learn next. However, they do not always implement activities or use interactions effectively to help children learn what they intend them to, to fully support their learning.
• Children hear both French and English spoken equally in this bilingual nursery. They enjoy an activity in one language before lunch and then another activity in the other language after lunch. Staff are clear about what vocabulary they want children to know and give them opportunities to practise this. This helps children learn words in both languages.
• Staff support children's physical development well. They give non-mobile babies opportunities to have 'tummy time' and place resources out of reach to encourage babies to stretch towards them. Toddler squash and pull play dough, building strength in their hands. Children go on walks in the local community. This helps children to be active and learn to enjoy moving their bodies.
• Children learn what makes them unique. Staff support children to value their cultural heritage. They explore the different foods, customs and music from countries linked to their families. Resources reflect many different types of families. This supports children to appreciate diversity and prepares them for a life in modern Britain.
• Parents are highly appreciative of this nursery. They comment that their children enjoy their time at nursery. They speak highly of the nurturing staff. Parents say they are kept informed about their children's progress, for example what new words their child has learned that day. This partnership working helps children make progress.
• Leaders understand the importance of supporting children to move on when they are ready for the next stage. They organise a range of activities to help children experience a smooth transition. For example, children moving to another room at the nursery have play visits in the garden with the children in their new room. The key person attends children's settling-in sessions at the new setting when children move out of nursery. Staff share detailed information with schools. This helps children prepare for their move to school.
• Staff use observations and assessments to check children are making expected progress. They identify when children may have delays in their development and make timely referrals. They work in partnership with parents to put plans in place to support children to make progress.
• Leaders and managers are passionate and have an ambitious vision for the nursery. The manager evaluates the practice effectively and identifies areas to further develop. She uses a rigorous programme of induction, supervision sessions and peer observations to monitor practice and drive improvements. Staff say that they feel supported by the manager and understand their role in the team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus activities and staff interactions more precisely on supporting children's next steps in learning, to enable them to build on what they already know and can do.