River House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish and thrive in this welcoming and friendly setting. Staff get to know the children well. They plan and implement an ambitious curriculum that is well sequenced and challenges children successfully. Children have positive attitudes to learning. They show high levels of interest in the learning experiences available. There is a clear focus on developing children's independence, speech and language. This successfully prepares children for the next stage in their development, including moving on to school. For example, babies and the youngest children demonstrate listening by trying to join in with vocalisation as staff speak to them.

Staff have high expectations for all children. They provide support for children in their chosen activity and promote their learning well through positive interactions. Staff are excellent role models. They show children kindness and respect when carrying out duties such as nappy changing. They actively listen to children, acknowledging what they say when children speak to them. As a result, children follow the good example that staff set and are respectful towards each other and the adults who look after them. Staff provide sensitive support and explanations when children are struggling to understand behavioural expectations.

Staff work well with parents to ensure they understand their children's individual needs and can meet them. Parents speak very positively about the strong communication from staff and the excellent support for their children to make good progress.

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

• Children have good communication and language skills. Older children communicate well, using full sentences. Staff build on children's vocabulary by giving them choices and comment on activities to highlight specific vocabulary to support their understanding. For example, children tell staff they have a 'car'. Staff reply, 'Yes, you have a car with a trailer in the water.'
• Babies babble as they point to objects and staff introduce new words, such as crunchy and squeeze, to build on their vocabulary. Toddlers investigate different sensory items as they push buttons and spin wheels. This helps to develop their imagination and curiosity.
• Staff working with babies gather detailed information from parents about individual routines, including food preferences and how they like to sleep. Staff are kind and caring in their approach, providing cuddles and reassurance when children become tired. Staff provide for babies' care needs effectively and, as a result, babies feel safe and secure.
• Staff know children well and respond promptly to their needs. Each child's key person observes them as they play, tracking their achievements carefully and implementing some strategies to support them. For example, staff use objects of reference to help children understand what is coming next. For those children who need extra support to communicate their thoughts, ideas and needs, staff do not do as much as they could to encourage this.
• All children develop a love of books and stories. Babies and children access books for themselves and enjoy looking at the pictures by themselves or with their friends. Staff encourage and support children's responses to picture books and stories as they read to them. Staff encourage older children to sound out the letters in their name, as they read the name tag on their drinking bottle for example. This supports children's literacy development.
• Staff support children well by providing varied opportunities to build on what they already know and can do. Children explore the sand and recall previous experiences of being at the beach. They begin to solve problems as they think about what will happen to the sand as they add water. They learn about size and capacity as they fill and empty different-sized containers.
• Children follow thorough hygiene routines and understand the importance of good handwashing. Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. They benefit from lots of outdoor learning and physical play. They enjoy home-cooked meals, provided by the on-site nursery chef, and talk about healthy and unhealthy foods.
• The provider is dedicated to giving every child the best possible nursery experience. The provider values the skilled staff team and ensures their well-being is a priority. Staff say that they are happy in their role and feel well supported. The provider's approach to staff supervision and training helps everyone to grow their professional practice and knowledge.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop further strategies to support children who need extra help to communicate their thoughts and needs.