Southernwood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly in this friendly and welcoming nursery. Nurturing staff greet families warmly and establish any information they need to share. Staff encourage children to bring in photos from home and talk about their experiences to support their language skills and self-esteem. Children learn about the rules of the nursery, such as using 'kind hands and words'. Children and staff hug one another and sing, 'Have a wonderful day, enjoy and play.'

The nursery ethos encourages children to be positive learners in a safe environment where they can flourish. Staff plan the curriculum around this vision to help children make good progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who learn English as an additional language. Staff use specific strategies to help children understand what will happen now and what comes next, which aids children when moving from one activity to another. Children learn about emotions and how to verbalise how they are feeling to help them stay calm.

Children behave well and follow simple rules. They know to line up to receive a flannel to wash their face and hands after lunch, which they do independently. Children know to listen attentively during small-group sessions. They wait for their turn during activities, supporting their social skills.

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

• Children relish going to visit a care home every week, where they enjoy engaging in activities with the elderly residents. Children make pretend rockets with them in preparation for Bonfire Night and enjoy singing a variety of songs. Children develop good confidence and communication skills while they learn about their local community.
• Staff plan a strong range of structured adult-led group sessions to build on children's existing skills. For instance, children enjoy physical games where they practise jumping and hopping techniques. Staff talk to children about their hearts beating faster and how oxygen and blood move more quickly around the body during exercise. They demonstrate breathing techniques to relax afterwards. However, during free-play activities, staff teaching is mostly narrative. Staff do not consistently help children to recall their prior knowledge and extend their learning to enhance their individual next steps of development.
• Parents report that staff are 'amazing' and their children have made strong progress since starting at the nursery. They comment on how staff support them as a whole family and that staff know their children really well. Parents know what staff are teaching their children and receive regular information via the online communication system as well as through daily verbal discussions. The nursery makes use of parents' strengths. For example, parents share their unique occupations and children learn about the role of being an opera singer, musician or footballer to further their understanding.
• Leaders continuously develop staff's professional development to help deepen their knowledge and skills and make positive changes to benefit children, such as to the outdoor area. Children learn about sustainability and recycling. They use empty plastic bottles to make mathematical resources for counting and 'bug hotels' using natural materials while learning about nature.
• Children enjoy exploring the learning environment. They independently choose where they would like to play and know how to access resources. Staff provide comfort to children who are new to the setting by providing them with cuddles and reassurance. However, at times, staff spend long periods holding these children. They do not engage them quickly enough in valuable learning experiences to support their development further.
• Staff provide good opportunities for children to hear and join in with songs and rhymes. During small-group sessions, children identify songs through pictures and choose which ones they would like to sing. Staff encourage children to fill in the missing words and help them to develop an understanding of rhythm.
• Children develop their mathematical skills well. Staff provide specific one-to-one time with children to support their development in this area. Children learn to count individual items, saying a number name for each one. They count out pretend apples from an irregular pattern and learn to recognise numbers to 10.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further implement effective teaching strategies during free-play sessions to help children build on their existing knowledge and skills
• consistently engage children in valuable learning experiences to support their overall development further.