Sheffield Hallam University Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this caring and nurturing nursery. They thoroughly enjoy the activities and experiences that are on offer to them. The management team plans a coherent and sequenced curriculum that recognises children's uniqueness. As a result, children experience high-quality interactions at all times. This motivates them to learn and reflects in their highly positive behaviour. The nursery ethos of 'changing lives through relationships' supports children's interests and the provision of an inclusive and supportive environment, in which children feel very safe.

Staff use rich and extensive vocabulary when talking to children. This supports them to develop extremely good communication skills. Language and mathematics are woven throughout all activities, such as when outside in the sandpit and the mud kitchen. Children have many opportunities to experience the real world and develop skills for their future lives. These range from hatching their own chicks to creating embroidery artwork. They enjoy visits from the mini zoo, sports coaching group and support dogs. Children have intergenerational visits with a local care home. These experiences help children to develop confidence and a growing understanding of the world around them. Children's learning is structured so that knowledge and skills are coherently arranged to promote future development. Staff carefully consider how they plan to extend children's talents and interests, which is worthy of being shared with others.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent support. Staff work with other professionals and parents to ensure that all children access the curriculum and make the very best progress. Effective strategies are in place to close gaps in children's learning and development. Staff learn about children's cultures and home languages to support children who speak English as an additional language. These children quickly learn to understand spoken English and begin to use words and sentences for themselves.

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

• The nursery has an ambitious and challenging curriculum. Staff use assessment well to check what children know and can do to inform teaching. They plan exciting, ambitious activities based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. As such, the impact of the curriculum on what children know, can remember and do is highly effective.
• Staff read to the children in a way that engages them. They expand the stories through the use of props or the natural world, such as watching the clouds go by. Staff introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary during activities, such as saying 'floating', 'light' and 'sphere' as they watch bubbles in the garden.
• Inclusive practice is a strength of the nursery. Children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to hear and use their home languages in the nursery. Children with SEND are very well supported and achieve extremely well in the nursery. As such, all children make substantial progress from their starting points.
• Children's confidence is evident as they happily chat with their peers, staff and visitors, sharing their experiences. Children demonstrate high levels of respect for one another. They are highly motivated to join in, share and cooperate with each other. For example, children take turns to use the bubble wand to create bubbles.
• Relationships between staff, children and their peers are extremely respectful. Children are keen to take on small responsibilities. For example, they care for the plants in the garden and share out resources at story time. Their efforts are rewarded with praise. Children demonstrate confidence when talking to adults and children. They have very positive attitudes to play and learning. Children are kind and caring towards one another and show consistently high levels of respect for others. Children's emotional well-being is exceptionally well supported and nurtured. Children are equipped to move to next stage. They develop the independence and skills they need to take advantage of school when it is time to move on.
• Staff have regular supervision sessions and training meetings to support their professional development. Staff well-being is a priority. Managers ensure that they and all practitioners receive focused and effective professional development. They prioritise staff well-being, and so the nursery has an experienced and motivated staff team. This is evident as staff support each other in the large outside area, all engaging with the children.
• Managers have a clear vision for the nursery. They engage effectively with others in the community to ensure that children receive high-quality experiences. They act with integrity to ensure that all children, especially children with SEND, have full access to all services available.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents have the utmost praise for the nursery and staff. They say they 'feel very confident and reassured' and that staff acknowledge children's interests and talents. Parents say they are very well informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning. Staff keep parents updated about their children's learning and development. They share ideas for support at home as well as books and resources. Parents feel listened to by the nursery and have a supportive relationship via the parents' forum. Staff invite parents to attend meetings so children are supported with transitions they make through the nursery. Parents express how confident they are that staff have an excellent understanding of how to care for the children due to the training opportunities they have. They say that communication is a strength.