South and City College Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and settle quickly to play with their friends. They have fun and readily engage in the activities on offer. Children form close bonds with staff, who are kind, caring and responsive to their emotional needs. Children demonstrate good attitudes to learning. Babies persevere when trying to launch toy cars down ramps. They show concentration and determination as they spend time making sure the ramps are properly aligned before releasing the cars. Toddlers enjoy playing in sand, trying to find hidden items. Pre-school children enjoy exploring the outdoor environment, where they can develop their large-muscle skills as they run, climb and balance on the outdoor equipment.

Children's good health is promoted well. They enjoy hot, cooked meals that are healthy and nutritious. Children have daily opportunities to be physically active. Children behave well and play cooperatively. They learn to share and take turns while using the small indoor trampoline. Children are becoming independent and developing an awareness of taking care of their own needs. This includes putting on their shoes ready for outdoor play and washing their hands after using the toilet. Children are developing the skills they need to help prepare them for their future learning.

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

• The quality of teaching is good. Staff know children well and they use this knowledge to plan activities that are based on children's current interests. Children readily engage in the opportunities on offer. All children make good progress in their learning. However, some planned activities do not focus enough on the intended learning experiences for children, to help them progress even further in their learning.
• Staff place a strong emphasis on helping children gain good communication and language skills. Staff engage children in frequent conversations and discussions. They ask appropriate questions and give children time to think and respond. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language. They work closely with parents and find out key words from the children's home languages and use these to communicate with children.
• Staff support children's personal development well. They talk to children about the importance of washing their hands to stop germs spreading. Children confidently tell staff that if germs get into their tummy, they will make them sick. Staff prepare children for their move on to school. They include school uniforms in the dressing-up clothes and talk to the children about this change. This helps to support children emotionally for their move on to school.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support. Staff work well with parents and other professionals to ensure they meet the individual needs of the children. This helps to ensure early intervention for children who may need extra support, so that they are able to make good progress from their starting points.
• Children develop good physical skills while climbing, bouncing and sliding on the indoor apparatus. Older children have regular opportunities to go on outings within the local area. However, staff do not place as much focus on ensuring younger children have enough opportunities to further enhance their play experiences outdoors.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection express how happy they are with the nursery. They say that staff are extremely supportive of the whole family. Parents are kept well informed through an online journal and daily discussions. They are aware of the plans for children's future learning. This helps them to continue with their child's learning at home.
• Managers and staff are passionate about providing children with the best possible start in life. Staff feel well supported by the management team. Managers conduct regular supervision meetings with staff and carry out observations of staff practice. Staff have good opportunities to attend regular training throughout the year.
• Staff have high expectations for all children. They manage children's behaviour well. Staff act as good role models and praise children for their good behaviours. As a result, children show respect and kindness towards each other.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the planning of some adult-led activities by focusing on what staff want children to learn, helping children make the best possible progress
• build on opportunities for younger children to have more play and learning experiences outdoors.