Seahorse Nursery Park House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to play with their friends. They are given affectionate reassurance from their key person, and babies snuggle into staff for comfort. Caring relationships are evident. Parents comment on the 'smiling' and 'friendly' staff.

Staff and leaders are proactive in liaising with other professionals. They have the same ambition for all children and ensure they get the support they need. As a result, all children can access the interesting activities and experiences on offer. Staff consistently use signing and pictures to enhance children's understanding. A visual timetable is used to help some children understand the plan of the day and to feel secure.

Children are learning to manage their feelings. For example, in the toddler room, they practise yoga and mindfulness. The breathing games help children learn to stay calm. Older children play cooperatively. They are polite and demonstrate good manners, such as spontaneously saying 'please' and 'thank you'.

Children are offered a good range of healthy food. Those with allergies or other dietary requirements are catered for, to ensure their individual needs are met. Mealtimes are a social occasion and children sit harmoniously together. They talk about their families and tell each other jokes. Children laugh often.

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

• The management team is passionate and committed to providing a clear and ambitious curriculum with thematic planning. Before each theme, staff are given information booklets. This supports their planning and understanding of what they want the children to learn. Children learn about farming machinery, vehicles, animals and crops. A visiting farm is planned to reinforce the children's knowledge. Children demonstrate good levels of well-being and show great interest in the thematic activities on offer.
• Staff help children to learn about and respect each other's uniqueness and broaden their knowledge. For example, the nursery celebrates Holi, and staff teach the children what this means. Children learn the sign for spring and delight in swirling the coloured powder paint around on the table. They understand colour and can predict the colour that mixing two colours will make. Children practise small-muscle skills as they fill a pipette with water to mix the paint and experiment with a brush and their hands.
• Staff and leaders have a strong focus on teaching children communication and language skills. The interesting activities provide context for new words to be explored. For example, children learn the names of farm animals through props, songs and stories. Older children learn more complex vocabulary. They learn where different animals live, the name for their babies and what a group of them are called.
• There are clear routines throughout the nursery day. However, sometimes, the transitions between play time and mealtimes are not planned effectively for the youngest children. This means that some children become restless and disengaged. Nevertheless, the children's physical needs are well met. They have individual flannels to wash their hands and face, and are changed in a positive and gentle manner.
• Forest school sessions provide children with more opportunities to learn about the world around us. They explore the natural environment using their imagination. For example, children make wands out of sticks and leaves. They use mathematical skills when they decide who has the longest or shortest stick. Young children improve their physical skills by climbing the steps and gliding down the slide.
• Staff develop children's independence skills well. Children learn to feed themselves from an early age. They peel their own fruit and make choices in their snacks. Children learn to hang up their coats, serve their own meals and pour drinks for themselves. They wash their hands and put tissues in the bin. Children show good levels of independence and confidence.
• Successful partnerships are formed with parents. Parents are complimentary about the nursery. They appreciate the daily feedback about their child's day and the regular meetings. Parents report that their children's social skills are improving, and their vocabulary is increasing. They welcome the ideas they are given to support their children's learning and development at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of transitions from play time to mealtimes for the youngest children, to better support children's engagement.