Rose Hill Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled in this calm, welcoming nursery. Staff greet children warmly and respond sensitively to help children settle in. They build positive relationships from the start, which helps children feel safe and secure. Children are friendly and pleased to see their friends. Pre-school children play together to make tunnels for cars to roll through. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They teach them simple yoga and meditation to support them to have calm moments during the day.

Children have very positive attitudes to learning. They are excited to explore the wide range of 'real' objects in the environment. They are curious to peel the papery skin from onions and make music on an old guitar. Children develop their physical skills, particularly outdoors. They learn to balance on beams and play ball games. Children grow their own vegetables and are excited to take these home to share with their families. Children have opportunities to make connections between indoor and outdoor environments. For example, they continue their interest in rolling cars through tubes by rolling balls along drainpipes, which helps to embed their learning.

The manager has taken positive action to improve since the last inspection. She is highly ambitious in relation to preparing children for the next stage in their learning. The curriculum is implemented well and supports children to develop their skills and knowledge over time. Therefore, all children make good progress.

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

• Staff use observations effectively to identify children's interests. They use this information to plan learning opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, staff notice children's interest in cars and label these with numbers to help pre-school children learn to recognise numerals. This positively impacts on children's concentration and attitudes to learning.
• Children's communication and language development is supported well. They enjoy looking at books in small groups and talk about the pictures. Children join in with familiar songs and rhymes. Younger children express themselves by pointing and making sounds, while older children engage in lively conversations. They respond to questions and learn to ask their own, such as 'Why are fireworks loud?'
• There are some strategies in place to support children who speak English as an additional language (EAL), such as displayed words in different languages. However, there are few opportunities for them to hear and use their home languages at the setting.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well.
• The manager has developed good relationships with other professionals. There are effective strategies in place to share information about their learning needs.
• Children learn to understand their emotions. For example, they talk about being scared of the fireworks. Staff encourage children to persevere in their activities and praise their achievements. This helps children develop their self-esteem and confidence.
• Staff teach children to be independent. From a young age, they learn to do things for themselves, such as putting on their own shoes and coats. Older children mix their own paints and learn to clean up spills. Older babies are excited to blow bubbles themselves and help to tidy away their toys. This helps children to develop skills they will need in later life.
• Staff teach children about healthy lifestyles. Children are encouraged to be physically active and to prepare their own healthy snacks. Staff remind them to drink water so they do not become dehydrated. Staff talk to children about oral health, and children show how they brush their teeth.
• Partnerships with parents are good. New parents say their children settle quickly and speak highly of the staff team. Staff share children's learning journeys with parents and invite them to share what children do at home. The manager has introduced a home library scheme, so all children have an opportunity to take books home.
• The manager has implemented strategies to monitor staff practice. Staff attend regular training to develop their knowledge. They are encouraged to share their learning with the team. Staff say they feel well supported and part of a strong team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further extend the opportunities for children who speak EAL to hear and speak their own languages.