RIMU Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff share their passion to promote children's creativity through learning experiences, such as music, dance and drama. Staff support individual children well to build confidence to participate in these activities. Children learn to move their bodies to music. For example, they learn to sway ribbons in the air as they dance.

Staff are caring and friendly in their interactions with children. The children are happy to see the staff on arrival. For example, some smile and some wave to the staff when they greet them. Children who need support on arrival settle quickly with reassurance from their key person.

Staff are good role models for children to learn from. They teach children to take account of the needs of their peers and to be respectful in their interactions with others. Children behave well and play cooperatively with each other. They listen well to instructions from staff and learn to keep themselves safe during play.

Leaders have high expectations for all children, and the curriculum is effective to identify and address gaps in individual children's learning. Staff support children well during transitions between rooms in the nursery and to other settings. This helps to support continuity in children's learning.

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

• Leaders and managers reflect well on their practice and have improved the quality of the provision since the previous inspection. They understand their responsibility to inform Ofsted in a timely manner of any allegations. They monitor staff practice effectively and guide them to plan a curriculum that meets the needs of individual children.
• Staff promote children's understanding of hygiene practices. They work closely with parents to teach children how to keep their teeth clean. Staff skilfully stimulate children's engagement in handwashing routines. For example, staff and children have fun as they sing and march their way to the toilet. Staff support children's independence during these routines. This helps children to build on their self-care skills.
• Staff assess children's progress effectively to identify areas in which individual children need additional support. They share information effectively with parents and work closely with professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All children, including those in receipt of funding, make good progress from their starting points.
• Children who speak English as an additional language settle well and build on their communication skills. Some staff have had training to use signs and gestures to support children's early understanding of language. All children make good progress in their communication and language development.
• Staff support children well to help them understand what is expected of their behaviour. They teach children to use polite words during their interactions with others and to share and take turns during play.
• The management team, staff and the cook work well as a team to meet individual children's dietary needs and to provide children with healthy snacks and meals. This helps to support children's good health and well-being.
• Staff stimulate children's curiosity to learn about living beings. They provide opportunities for children to learn about the different environments in which animals live. Children show excitement as they play with small-world animals. For instance, they exclaim 'splash!' as they dip the sharks in and out of the water.
• Staff provide regular opportunities for children to play outdoors. They plan weekly outings for children to local amenities, such as the library and the 'duck pond'. However, staff have not considered ways to enhance children's motivation to engage in physical experiences, such as climbing, that offer them more challenge.
• Staff promote children's interest in books. Toddlers demonstrate an understanding that print carries meaning. However, some activities planned to support children's mark-making skills are not fully effective to achieve the intended aims.
• Staff promote children's understanding of different cultures and traditions. For example, they introduce children to the Chinese New Year. They provide opportunities for children to explore traditional food, such as noodles. Staff plan and implement art and craft activities, such as making Chinese lanterns. Children develop their early understanding of diversity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the implementation of planning to consistently enhance opportunities for children to achieve the intended aims, particularly with regards to some group activities
• strengthen opportunities for children to explore a wider range of physical experiences that offer them more challenge, suitable for their ages and stages of development.