Redwell Nursery CIO

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and confident at the nursery. They seek out their friends and soon become immersed in their play. Children form strong relationships with their key person and the other staff working in the nursery. These relationships help children to feel secure and safe. They are confident to explore their environment and the activities on offer. Younger children cautiously learn to balance as they climb the ladder on the climbing frame, knowing staff are available if needed. Staff encourage older children to problem-solve as they build a track for the toy cars. Children develop their understanding as they discuss whether it needs to be longer or shorter.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and teach them the importance of good manners. Children listen to staff and follow the setting's routines and staff's expectations. As they go on daily walks, staff remind children to listen, hold hands and stay close, and they teach them how to cross roads safely. Children learn how to share and take turns. During play, children work together to fill a bucket with sand. Staff model my turn, your turn, counting the scoops of sand as they go. Children show pride in their creations as staff display their work on the wall for others to see. This helps children to develop positive self-esteem.

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

• Staff support children to develop their independence and self-care skills through daily routines. Children pour their drinks, wash their hands before snack and put on and take off their coats. Children confidently demonstrate these skills in their play. For example, they pretend to wash their hands using soap at the role play sink in preparation for eating the play dough 'cakes' they have made.
• The staff are clear about what they want children to learn. Activities are planned to meet the developmental needs of the children. For example, staff provide a range of peg boards and large-piece puzzles for younger children and puzzles with small pieces for older children. However, staff do not always use spontaneous opportunities to further children's knowledge as they play. As a result, children do not always make the progress they are capable of.
• Staff support children's communication skills effectively. Staff engage children in conversations and provide them with a narrative as they play. Staff introduce new words, such as 'slither' and 'slimy', as children look at snails using magnifying glasses. Children enjoy singing activities, and they choose a song by choosing a puppet from the selection. They join in with the actions as they sing the song of the week.
• The staff work well together as a team. They benefit from regular supervision meetings to discuss their continuing professional development. However, the support provided is not yet consistent in ensuring that all staff have the knowledge and skills to improve their practice.
• The staff have good relationships with parents. Parents comment that staff keep them well informed about their children's progress. Staff provide parents with ideas to continue their children's learning at home. For example, they share books and resources that the children have enjoyed at nursery.
• Staff support children to develop a love of books. Children snuggle up on the sofa with staff, listening intently to the story. Staff engage the children by asking them questions about the story and encouraging them to join in, for example by making the different animal noises. The nursery has introduced a toy and book library to promote reading stories at home.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. The staff understand the importance of early intervention. They work in partnership with specialist professionals and parents to ensure that children receive the support they need. This support helps children with SEND to make good progress.
• Staff support children's early writing skills well. Children have plenty of opportunities to strengthen their hand muscles as they mould play dough with their hands, fill buckets of sand using spades and cut different resources in the craft area with scissors. They use one-handed tools such as pencils and paintbrushes to make marks and draw pictures.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's skills in supporting and extending children's learning during play activities
• improve staff's knowledge and skills by providing tailored coaching and mentoring to ensure that teaching is consistently good.