Shantona Women and Family Services

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in their language development in this welcoming home-from-home nursery. Staff make song and rhyme time highly engaging for all two-year-old children, including those who speak English as an additional language. For example, they use props, such as material stars, which children place on their finger. Two-year-old children put their arm in the air to copy actions, and attempt some words from the familiar song.

Staff introduce the sound of letters to older children. Older children confidently and accurately identify objects that begin with the letter 'p', such as 'penguin' and 'pig'. They also recognise objects that do not start with this letter, such as an 'iron'. Older children show that they remember their learning as they say the sound for other letters, such as 's' and 'a'. Children's learning is built sequentially. The curriculum is planned to ensure that children practise and embed each step of learning throughout their time at the nursery.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children decide with staff the behaviour rules, such as kind feet and hands. They understand these expectations, and this is reflected in children's positive attitude towards their learning and interactions with their friends. Children show that they feel safe, secure, and happy in the care of staff.

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

• Most of the children who enter the nursery at age two speak English as an additional language. Bilingual staff provide excellent opportunities for children to use their home language in play and learning. By the age of three, children speak English extremely well. They use grammatically correct sentences, listen attentively, and respond to what they hear with relevant questions. Children are extremely well prepared for their move on to school.
• Staff are very aware of the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on children's social skills. They report that some children struggle to share and take turns, and get upset when parting from parents. Staff visit children in their home as part of the settling-in process to try to ease any anxieties. They place children's well-being at the forefront of their practice.
• Staff give children a rich set of opportunities that help to widen their experiences. For example, they have introduced a growing area outdoors for children who live in premises without a garden. Staff take children out into the community and visit places of interest. Children develop important life skills, such as travelling by bus and learning to cross the road safely.
• Children learn what makes them unique. They celebrate the differences between themselves and their peers. Staff ensure that children learn about and value cultural and religious events and festivals, such as Ramadan, Eid, and Chinese New Year. Staff also speak with children about different family structures. They display photos of children and their family members in the nursery. This helps children to feel that they belong and are represented in their environment.
• Children learn about people who help them. Staff invite the dentist to come to speak with children about caring for their teeth. The local builder visits children and provides opportunities for them to play with real tools. Staff support children's understanding of self-care and the world very well.
• Children show their excitement as they discover a spider in the garden area outdoors. Staff respond to children's interests immediately and provide magnifying glasses for them to look at the insect in more detail. They link mathematics to this spontaneous learning and ask children to count the spider's legs. Staff are skilled at extending children's learning as it happens.
• Staff work in partnership with parents, some of whom speak English as an additional language, to help them to build confidence in how to support their child's learning at home. They provide practical ideas and activities, including singing and sharing books and stories. Staff help parents to make the most of everyday learning opportunities with their children. Parent partnership is a real strength of the nursery.
• Staff are very aware of local needs and challenges in the area. They and the manager are passionate about the role they play in giving children the best possible start to their educational journey. Staff show the expertise that they bring to their role. They continue to attend training that supports them to improve and refine their practice.