Rosedene Hemlington

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have continued to support children's learning when they did not attend during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Most children are happy and confident when they arrive. Their parents hand them into the care of familiar staff at the main entrance. Other children, who were a little less confident on their return, have attended additional sessions to help them to settle back in to nursery life.

Staff provide an effective and inclusive curriculum. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning. Children confidently choose from a wide range of carefully planned activities. Two-year-old children develop good creative and imaginative skills. They demonstrate this when they make 'potions' from flowers, herbs and leaves in the outdoor area. Older children work together to scoop up sand to make castles. They count and compare how many scoops they need, practising their mathematical skills and language. Babies delight in banging together pots and pans, giggling at the noises they make while staff sing to them. They enjoy looking at books and learn to turn the pages, pointing at familiar pictures.

Children behave well. At times, when they become frustrated, staff are skilled at supporting them to resolve problems and consider their friends' feelings. Children learn to be tolerant and to respect others.

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

• The manager has clear intentions of what she wants children to learn and articulates this well. Staff plan activities to appeal to children's interests, and to help them to make choices and lead their own learning. This helps children to become confident and independent learners. This is demonstrated when children decide to make a donkey with dough, rather than the suggested reindeer. Other children find their own ways to do things while exploring the various resources in nursery. For example, they use toy hair straighteners as tongs to transport items from one place to another.
• Staff deliver the curriculum generally well and their teaching is, overall, good. Staff chat to children while they play. They ask children questions, describe activities and give explanations. This helps to promote children's language development. Occasionally, however, some staff do not support children's communication skills to the highest possible levels. Some staff read books to children that are beyond their understanding. Sometimes, during care routines, staff overlook opportunities to interact with children.
• Older children access the outdoor area at all times and many children choose to spend much of their day outside. They enjoy large-physical activities, such as building with tyres and planks, and balancing on them. This helps children to develop their strength and coordination. Staff take babies outdoors regularly. They benefit from fresh air and exercise to help promote their good health.
• Babies settle quickly into the calm and tranquil rooms and routines. Staff work closely with parents when their children first start to ensure that they mirror routines from home. This helps babies to develop a sense of familiarity in nursery, and they quickly show that they feel safe and secure in staff's care.
• Relationships with other professionals are well established and help to promote children's learning and development. This is particularly true for children with SEND. Staff welcome expert advice and guidance to support their practice. This helps staff to plan comprehensively to ensure that all children make the progress that they are capable of.
• Parents say that their children thrive in nursery. They feel very involved in their children's learning. Parents welcome a monthly 'round-up' from staff about what their children have learned. They are able to share their views and suggestions through face-to-face contact with key staff and by responding to surveys.
• Staff's well-being is a high priority. The manager regularly checks on how staff are feeling. Staff report that they feel happy and well. They say that they enjoy their jobs and their workload is manageable.
• Staff implement infection-control measures, such as the use of personal protective equipment, to help to keep children safe in nursery. However, they do not consistently share information with children about good hygiene procedures. For example, staff do not always teach the children about the importance of washing their hands before eating and after using tissues.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance all staff's understanding of ways to support children's communication and language development to the highest possible levels
• strengthen children's understanding of good hygiene procedures that help to promote their good health.