Soho Family Centre Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate from parents happily. They are greeted by friendly staff and encouraged to self-register. Following this, children quickly immerse themselves in the different activities on offer. Throughout the day, children benefit from accessing a range of activities, such as breathing exercises, meditation, breathing buddies and yoga. This helps children remain calm and interact with their peers and the adults, who have high expectations of children's behaviour. Staff also act as positive role models, demonstrating positive attitudes to learning.

Staff build on children's interests and use their knowledge of individual children's stage of development to plan a curriculum that is purposeful and exciting. For example, older children enjoy following recipe cards and using their mathematical knowledge of measures to make their own play dough independently. Staff guide younger children, providing more support in encouraging them to follow instructions to make the dough. Babies enjoy exploring, playing with and manipulating the play dough. This helps develop their hand-eye coordination and prepares them well for the next stage in their learning and development.

Children enjoy making different potions with their friends. They take turns to pour and mix different-coloured liquids together. Older children use mathematical language related to measure and capacity, such as 'full', 'empty' and 'half-full', in their play. Younger children are learning how to hold a jug, with support. This will help them develop their independence skills, enabling them to pour their own water when they are thirsty.

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

• Staff have created an interactive 'managing emotions' display that supports children to manage their emotions, enhancing their ability to co-regulate and self-regulate positively. This has helped create an environment that is calm and purposeful.
• Staff introduce children to a range of songs and stories where children learn new vocabulary. They ask children questions to develop their critical thinking skills. However, on some occasions, children are not given sufficient time to think and respond to questions to demonstrate their understanding.
• Staff plan activities that enable children to practise developing a wide range of skills, such as climbing, balancing and jumping. However, at times, staff do not plan opportunities that provide children with further challenge to enhance their physical development skills.
• Managers provide staff with monthly training to support and develop their practice. In addition, room leaders provide staff with regular coaching and mentoring. Staff express that they feel well supported by managers and are confident to seek further support. For example, staff feel they are able to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) more effectively by seeking support from the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).
• The SENCO works closely with the local authority inclusion team to support staff and parents to meet the needs of children with SEND. This enables staff to recognise children's needs and implement appropriate strategies to support children with SEND to make good progress.
• Children enjoy exploring different food from around the world in the home corner. This encourages discussions about food from different cultures, and children confidently discuss the food they eat at home. Children use a bread knife, with adult supervision, to cut the different fruits and vegetables. This helps them to cut their food independently using a knife and fork at lunchtime.
• The nursery implements and follows a curriculum based on its unique pedagogy. Staff ensure children's prior learning is revisited and built on through current activities. This supports children to embed their learning further. Key persons know their children well, which helps them to plan a curriculum that promotes positive outcomes for all.
• Managers and staff have built strong relationships with parents and external professionals. Staff work well with parents and share strategies parents can use to support their child's learning at home. Managers ensure staff benefit from coaching sessions from the pedagogy coach to improve their teaching skills. The manager has developed good relationships with leaders from the local primary schools. This helps children with their transition to school.
• Children benefit from accessing the 'dental station'. This helps develop their understanding of the importance of good oral hygiene. Staff teach children about different foods and drinks that are healthy and good for their physical development. Children enjoy making their own fruit pots, where they select fruit and yogurt to create their own healthy snack.
• Children are motivated and excited to explore the different activities on offer. Their knowledge and understanding of different emotions help children manage their feelings and behaviour well. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and work well with their peers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• allow children more time to reflect and respond to questions
• maximise opportunities for children to take appropriate risks and challenges to enhance their physical resilience skills further.