Silver Stars

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this welcoming and homely nursery. They arrive full of smiles and are greeted by warm, caring staff. Children make their own choices about what to do. They use their ideas when they explore activities and resources. For example, children are engrossed as they play with a tape measure. They pull the tape measure out and experiment to see how far it will come out before it bends over.

Children behave very well. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children show respect as they share and take turns. For example, older children patiently wait their turn to talk during a circle time activity. Children of all ages are encouraged to be independent. For instance, babies are supported to help tidy toys away and older children enjoy trying to complete the 'coat challenge', to get a certificate for being able to put their coat on by themselves.

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents are unable to enter the nursery building. The manager created an online page just for parents to ensure that they still receive information from the nursery. Staff still ensure that they provide parents with a detailed hand over so that parents know what their children are doing each day.

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

• The manager is passionate about the ongoing development of the nursery and further improving outcomes for children. For instance, she has developed an all-weather area in the garden so that children can enjoy being outdoors in all weathers and has clear plans to develop other areas of the nursery, moving forwards. There is an effective programme of supervision that supports staff practice and well-being. Staff feel very supported in their roles.
• Staff have placed a strong focus on developing children's communication and language skills. Recent training has given staff more knowledge of how to promote children's language skills. For instance, staff ensure that children benefit from a rich language environment. Older children learn an array of new words, including coral and driftwood. Staff give clear descriptions of new words to support children's understanding effectively.
• Staff interact well with children in their chosen play and extend activities well. For example, in the baby room, children enjoyed painting and sticking sticks and leaves onto their pictures. Staff added in different coloured paint for children to explore. Overall, children of all ages engage busily in their play. However, on occasions during the inspection, staff missed opportunities to engage quieter, less confident children to fully engage in meaningful play and learning.
• Staff follow children's interests well when planning activities. For instance, older children have shown a recent interest in a story book about a fish. Children enjoy making their own rock pool in a tray in the garden. Staff provide the children with real raw fish to explore and investigate. Children add in shells, sand and water. They are interested to look at the raw fish. However, during daily routines in the pre-school room, older children become restless and disengaged as they have to sit for extended periods straight after lunch.
• Partnerships with parents and other settings children attend are strong. Parents speak highly of the nursery and the care their children receive. They feel that they are regularly kept updated about how their children are progressing and are given ideas of how they can continue learning at home. Staff build good relationships with other settings children attend to provide continuity in care and learning. For example, staff visit other settings children attend to be able to work closely with key staff.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents, staff and other professionals to ensure children get the required levels of support they need. Individualised plans are used effectively to focus on the skills children need to acquire and practise to help them make the best possible progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently give quieter and less confident children additional support to help them fully engage in their play and learning
• review the daily routines in the pre-school room to help meet children's needs as well as possible.