Rosewood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate happily from their parents as they arrive at this welcoming setting. They confidently explore a wide range of activities the friendly staff team have planned for them. Staff gather information from parents when children first start, and along with regular observations and assessments, use this to plan engaging activities based on children's likes, interests and next steps in learning. This means that children stay for extended periods of time at activities.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and development. They are good role models and children behave well. Staff plan activities that encourage children to share and take turns. Should conflicts arise, staff support children to find solutions. Staff build secure bonds with the children who they know well. They respond sensitively to children's individual needs. This supports children to be confident learners and feel safe and secure.

Children develop physical skills as they explore activities in the garden. Older children skilfully balance on stepping stones. They show great excitement as they dig for dinosaur bones in the mud. Younger children delight in the praise from staff as they use balance bikes. Children benefit from a dedicated growing area. They confidently explain how they care for their plants, such as watering the sunflowers. Staff embed learning as they encourage children to recall previous information about the important role bees play in pollination. This means children gain secure knowledge and understanding of nature and the world around them.

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

• Managers regularly evaluate the nursery to identify areas for improvement. For example, the curriculum has recently been reviewed and updated. Although this is yet to be implemented, staff are being well supported during this transition process. In addition, staff have regular one to one meetings and targeted training opportunities to support their development.
• Managers are quick to implement improvements when needed. For example, they recently reviewed procedures for the supervision of children to ensure they are always within sight and/or hearing. Staff are confident with the procedures to follow when children are moving between areas within the nursery and complete regular head counts.
• Staff are keen to support children and plan activities to challenge their thinking. However, at times, they do not consistently give children time to solve problems for themselves and are quick to find solutions for children. This means, at these times, children are not able to develop their critical thinking skills for problem solving.
• Staff effectively support children's communication and language. Younger children are encouraged to copy animal sounds and enjoy regular singing sessions to encourage early speech. Staff plan activities to promote conversation skills with older children. Group times support children's understanding to take turns listening to their friends and wait for their turn to talk. As a result, children are confident communicators.
• Children's mathematical development is supported well. Staff incorporate counting and mathematical language into children's play. For example, staff use words such as long and short when children compare different objects. They learn about shape and size as they build. As a result, children are beginning to understand simple mathematical concepts.
• Overall, staff provide children with opportunities to practise their independence and self-help skills. For example, children manage their personal care needs and help to clean tables after a messy play activity. However, during other times, such as lunch time, staff complete simple tasks for children, such as serving food and pouring their water. This limits opportunities for them to have a go and do more things for themselves. This impacts children's readiness for the next stage in their learning, such as preparation for school.
• Staff support children to learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. These include the cultural backgrounds of children attending and introduce them to other faiths and cultures to support their understanding of a diverse community. Staff plan activities to help children recognise different family structures. This supports children's understanding of others and prepares them for life in modern Britain.
• Staff work closely with parents to meet children's individual needs. Ongoing conversations and information sharing provide children with consistency between home and the nursery. Parents are given regular updates about their child's progress and information to support learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to promote opportunities for children to further develop their critical thinking abilities and problem-solving skills
• support children to develop their independence skills so they are fully prepared for the next stage in their learning.