Smallville Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children relish their time in this safe and welcoming nursery. They are happy, confident and eager to learn. Staff provide them with a secure and well-organised environment. A wide range of interesting activities are attractively available, which ignite children's curiosity and invite them to play and learn. For example, young children persist at creating a train track that fits together and figure out what way to attach the train carriages with a successful magnetic bond. Older children collaboratively test out their own ideas as they mix colours of paint and build structures with enough strength to hold a jug of water.

Children develop good communication and language skills. For instance, Staff engage in meaningful conversation with the children and clearly emphasise key words within their interactions to help enhance children's understanding and speaking skills. For example, children learn the words 'extend' and 'blend' during their exploration. Staff also use some sign language to help children make choices, understand routines and express their needs.

Children behave well. Older children learn to regulate their own emotions and behaviours. For instance, staff support children to make links between colours and feelings in relation to a familiar and much-loved story effectively. In addition, children are polite and are learning to share and take turns with their friends.

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

• The manager and staff team have strong relationships with children and know them incredibly well. They gather information before children start, which helps them tailor the curriculum to meet their individual needs. Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager and staff form effective professional relationships with outside agencies. Children are swiftly provided with extra support, where needed, to help them make good progress in their learning and development.
• Children are confident and interested in their environment. They ask lots of questions and are eager to learn. Children comfortably communicate their needs and demonstrate impressive independence skills. For example, children serve their own food at lunchtime and get themselves ready to go outside. Even the youngest children are able to choose and pour their own paint ready for their craft activities. Children learn a wide range of skills, which prepares them well for school.
• Staff make the most of the great outdoor space. Children spend plenty of time outside in the inspiring garden. They learn about nature and are very physically active. Staff are highly vigilant and teach children the importance of managing risks. For example, children safely create challenging obstacles and negotiate their way across, practising their balancing skills. Children have a can-do attitude and understand their own physical capabilities.
• Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their literacy skills. For example, children can access a range of resources, and they enjoy making marks in various ways. However, occasionally, staff do not incorporate mathematics as well as they could. For example, staff do not consistently build on older children's interest in mathematics by using further mathematical language or introducing patterns and numbers into children's play and exploration.
• Parents speak very highly of the nursery and comment that their children make good progress and are happy. They mention that the manager and owner go 'above and beyond' so that their children have the best possible start to their education.
• Regular self-evaluation and effective teamwork contribute to the impressive nursery provision. The manager supports staff and monitors their practice through continuous development. There are good opportunities for staff's professional development, and their well-being is consistently supported. This means that staff feel valued and enjoy their roles.
• Staff provide a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities. However, at times, large group activities are not organised well enough. This means that children are not able to benefit fully from adult-led learning with their peers.
• Children learn to follow healthy lifestyles. They have a good understanding of effective hand hygiene routines and know the benefits of healthy foods. Staff provide healthy meals and snacks and make sure that drinking water is readily available for children. They cater well for children's individual dietary needs and allergies.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the curriculum for mathematics, providing older children with more opportunities to explore mathematical language and numbers or patterns
• improve the organisation of group activities further so that children fully benefit from these opportunities and their learning is not interrupted.