Shorncliffe Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they feel extremely happy and safe at the nurturing setting. For example, on arrival, children receive a very friendly welcome from the passionate staff, who greet them full of energy and smiles. Children are very settled and eager to enter the setting, saying goodbye to their parents in the foyer.

Children make outstanding progress from their starting points. Staff have exceptionally high expectations for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They swiftly implement highly effective targeted support to ensure that continuous learning and development takes place. Children are more than ready for their next stage of learning.

Children's behaviour is exemplary across the setting. They have extremely positive attitudes to their learning. For example, children explore different-shaped vessels and sort fruits of various sizes by colour and size. They cooperate and share independently as they work in collaboration to fill a jug to the top. Children are deeply engaged in their play together.

Children are remarkably independent for their age and stage of development. For instance, very young children know when they need to wipe their own noses. They independently take tissues to a mirror before placing them into the bin and wiping their hands. Children learn to manage their personal care needs exceptionally well, which has a hugely positive impact on their personal development.

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

• Staff have an excellent understanding of children's individual interests and outcomes for learning and development. This enables them to plan a highly effective curriculum that creates curious and highly eager learners. For example, children excitedly join in with a group activity, exploring various items hidden inside a bag. They listen remarkably well for their age and respond very positively to the consistent praise they receive from the highly engaging staff.
• Children have outstanding opportunities to develop their language skills across the curriculum, especially children who speak English as an additional language. For instance, staff consistently introduce new language through very high-quality teaching and spontaneous interactions with children, which take place across the setting. Children make remarkably fast progress to become confident talkers. They are extremely well prepared for future learning and securely develop skills that will support them to become fluent readers.
• Children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are impeccable across the setting. For example, from a very young age, children are given the tools to help them gain a very good understanding of how to manage their feelings and behaviour.
• Staff support children's understanding of turn-taking with the use of sand timers. Children use these independently and let their friends know when it is their turn. They confidently demonstrate their understanding of why behaviour rules are in place and recognise the impact that their behaviour has on others.
• The provider creates an environment that is fully inclusive and promotes an understanding and respect for children's families and communities beyond their own. For example, before families transition from other countries, the manager arranges virtual contact to help them to become familiar with the staff and the setting. They send beautifully illustrated booklets about nursery life for children to share with their families. This has a hugely positive impact on children's experiences, as they are planned in a coherent way. The provider goes above and beyond to support the families' experiences of moving to a new country, and this is worthy of being shared with others.
• Leadership and management at the setting are outstanding. The highly focused and driven manager has created a very skilled and dedicated staff team. For instance, staff receive extremely effective continuous professional training, such as in communication and language. This impacts hugely on the quality of teaching that takes place across the setting. Staff consistently report that they are 'valued and supported' in their roles. Their positive well-being encourages them to help the provider improve outcomes for all children, who thrive at the setting.