Russell Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children at this nursery make good progress. Leaders and staff help children to build on what they already know as they move through the nursery. Children enjoy taking part in the activities on offer and learn to develop their knowledge of colours and numbers.

Staff provide a range of experiences for children, such as yoga, baking and trips to the library. Children learn to take pride in their own achievements and enjoy sharing these with friends. Staff praise children for their efforts, which encourages them to persevere with tasks and secure new skills.

Children make friends at nursery. Staff remind them of the rules and support them to play cooperatively with one another. Children are keen to engage in play, and they invite others to join them. They enjoy playing games such as hide and seek. Children take turns to count while their friends find somewhere to hide. Staff provide comfort for children when they need it and help new children to feel comfortable in their new environment. This helps children to build relationships with staff and settle quickly.

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

• The curriculum is designed to teach children to be confident and independent. There is a focus on helping children to develop their communication and language so that they are well prepared for their next stage of learning. The curriculum is sequenced to ensure children build on what they already know and can do so that they make good progress.
• Staff support children to follow daily routines. They help children to wash their hands before mealtimes. However, there are times when staff do not always promote good hygiene practices. For example, as younger children play with food items during exploratory play, they pick up food from large trays and eat it. Staff handle the food, and children use spoons from the tray, which are then put back for other children to use. This increases the risk of cross-contamination and does not teach children good hygiene routines.
• Pre-school children benefit from focused activities with staff indoors. They sit and show interest as staff read stories to them and teach them about numbers and letters. However, during outdoor play, older children have access to the same activities as younger children, which are planned to be at an exploratory level. As a result, older children do not always experience challenge in their learning or have opportunities to practise what they have learned when playing in the outdoor environment.
• Staff teach children about the world around them, including learning about different cultural celebrations. Children learn about the festival of Ramadan and the importance of eating healthily during this time. Staff help them to learn about different foods, and children describe how their own families celebrate. During the activity, children also have opportunities to develop skills, such as using scissors and taking turns.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Leaders and staff identify delays in children's development swiftly. They work closely with parents to determine what further support children need to make progress in their learning. Leaders assess children's needs accurately and use additional funding to provide further resources that specifically meet these needs. For example, leaders have set up a sensory room that provides a space for children to spend some time in a calming environment when they feel overwhelmed.
• Overall, leaders ensure staff have the training and support they need to carry out their roles and responsibilities. For example, staff who work with babies have completed training specific to the care of babies, and leaders hold regular meetings with staff to discuss where improvements can be made to their practice. However, there are times when staff do not complete some routine tasks, and this is not always noticed by leaders. As a result, some areas used by children are not fully prepared for them before they arrive.
• Parents comment positively about the nursery. They say that children settle well and staff are friendly. They see children making progress and appreciate the feedback they receive about their children's day. Leaders are keen to work in partnership with parents and arrange events in the nursery that parents can attend throughout the year.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff who work with younger children to always implement suitable hygiene practices
• maximise outdoor opportunities for older children so that they are sufficiently challenged and can practise the skills they have previously learned
• identify and provide all staff with the training and support they need to be able to carry out all aspects of their role effectively.