South Leicestershire College Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are at the centre of everything that the staff at this nursery do. Staff are extremely focused on supporting children's emotional well-being. Staff provide yoga, mindfulness sessions and a calm environment, where children thrive. Staff teach children about feelings and how to be kind to each other from a young age. Babies try to help each other to put on their shoes as staff praise them. Staff offer cuddles and reassurance to babies as they look at stories together. Staff instil older children with confidence, supporting them to lead their own group-time activity as their friends listen carefully. This demonstrates that they feel safe and secure.

The staff plan a varied and exciting curriculum for the children and, as a result, children make good progress and behave well. Children are highly engaged in the activities on offer. They use their imagination when they pretend to mend things and go to the shops as they carry baskets of play food. Children engage in filling and emptying containers with pasta. Staff teach them mathematical language, such as 'more', 'less' and 'heavier'.

Children talk about learning science at nursery. They recall experiments that they have done, such as making a volcano erupt, demonstrating that they know and remember more.

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

• Staff provide familiar stories throughout the nursery that children enjoy and engage with. For example, staff read stories to the children about being kind to each other and being a good friend. Staff support children with back-and-forth conversations about feelings as they discuss the story. Staff read books in the garden to younger children about animals, as other children stop their play to gather around to listen. Older children demonstrate their love of books as they sit on the settee together and turn the pages of their chosen story.
• Staff focus on promoting speaking and understanding for babies. For example, babies look at photos of their families, as staff help them to say their first words. Staff encourage older children to be confident to speak in a group. They recognise children who may need extra support with speech and language. Staff make swift referrals to relevant outside professionals.
• Staff provide children with interesting activities to explore as they learn. For example, they help younger children to practise their hand-eye coordination as they fill up jugs with water. Children pour the water into tubes and guttering in the garden. They watch how the water flows. However, staff do not consistently support children to solve problems for themselves. For example, when children are unable to reach or they spill the water, staff do not encourage them to think of a solution.
• Staff teach children their behaviour expectations and focus on building children's self-esteem. As a result, children are well behaved. For example, older children know the routines. They sit and listen at circle time as staff remind them of the behaviour rules. Children listen to instructions to line up to go inside.
• Staff prepare children for their move on to the next stage of their education, such as school. They invite teachers from the nearby school to meet the children. Staff support children to be able to do things for themselves or to ask for help. For example, children learn to pour their own drinks from a jug, put on their own shoes and to use the toilet independently.
• Parents speak enthusiastically of the nursery and say that they feel well supported and informed. They talk of invitations to nursery for families to share experiences together, such as food dishes from all over the world. Staff invite families to bring in their pets to teach children how to care for different animals.
• Leaders plan visits in the local community, such as to the train station, canal and trips to the park, to enhance the learning experiences for children.
• Leaders reflect on their practice and strive to provide the best experiences for children. Leaders are passionate about staff well-being and have trained to be mental health first aiders. They provide team-building activities for staff and meetings. Staff state that they feel valued and well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide further opportunities for children to solve problems and to think of their own ideas during spontaneous play.