School House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this warm and nurturing setting. They benefit from embedded routines and the staff's work on building strong bonds with the children. Children show that they feel safe and secure. For example, older children involve staff in their play. Toddlers confidently call when they need help at the toilet. Babies delight in the response they receive for taking the adults' slippers off and putting them on their own feet. Staff praise children for 'good counting' or 'really good sharing' so that children know exactly what is expected of them. Staff create a very pleasant environment.

Children enjoy access to a wonderful range of activities and resources outdoors regardless of the weather. Staff place a firm focus on outdoor play and learning. Children learn a great deal about the world around them. Some parents confirm they chose this nursery because their children love being outside. Children have fun singing their favourite songs as they shelter from the rain after their gardening activity. They help themselves to the instruments and practise sign language for the different animals. Babies develop their strength and balance as they push the buggy across the grass and dig in the soil. Children enjoy their learning and their developing skills.

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

• Leaders have a clear vision for the setting. Insightful monitoring is beginning to highlight minor inconsistencies in the quality of provision and practice. Staff talk with enthusiasm about how recent and ongoing training supports them in their role. They say they feel well supported and happy in their work. This has a positive impact on their interactions with the children, and everyone's well-being.
• Staff work closely with parents and other agencies. This enables them to establish clear, effective support plans for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are supported to catch up with their peers and are fully included in all nursery activities. Parents confirm that inclusion is a huge strength at the setting.
• Staff plan interesting learning opportunities around themes and focus books. Children learn a great deal through this approach. For example, older children use magnifying glasses to observe how caterpillars eat their food. They know they have to wait a long time for them to turn into butterflies. They learn to be careful with the caterpillars to keep them safe. They deepen their learning further as they introduce 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' story into their play dough game. However, staff sometimes miss opportunities to use the focus book to encourage meaningful conversations with younger children about colour.
• Staff use books, stories and rhymes effectively to aid children's developing language and promote their understanding in other areas of learning. For example, toddlers learn to count the currant buns, ready to sing 'Five Currant Buns'. They correctly count how many are left when one has been taken away. Staff bring stories to life, skilfully using props to engage older children. They help children to organise their new library system. Some older children speak eloquently about the illustrator and the author of their favourite book. However, some children's language is less clear than it could be. Some are a little more reticent to join in with group conversations.
• Children's health benefits from regular exercise outside in the fresh air. Older children wash their hands independently as they come indoors. Children enjoy the healthy, home-cooked lunches with ample portions of fruit and vegetables. They use cutlery well and develop pleasant table manners. Older children proudly explain the process for brushing their teeth and how to identify their own toothbrush.
• Children learn a range of skills and techniques to support their creativity. For example, younger children learn how to stick tissue paper. Older children learn how to use wax candles to create invisible pictures, and how to plant seeds. Children are often creative in their role play or with the play dough. However, displayed work is mostly of adult-led craft activities. While this acknowledges children's developing skills, it does not fully celebrate their creativity and self-expression.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further support children's conversational skills, for example by carefully considering what hinders some children's language development and/or their participation in discussions
• encourage and celebrate children's creativity and self-expression even more in their indoor and outdoor work.