St Aidans Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children are settled, confident and very happy during their time at the friendly nursery. All staff have a clear understanding of how they successfully implement their challenging curriculum. They know what all children like and dislike, and this helps them plan interesting activities that they know will help keep children motivated to learn. For example, children are keen to explore flowers. Staff teach children about how they grow and talk about their senses as they encourage children to smell them. Children go on to paint flowers and make 'magic potions' using water and flower petals. Children are confident to communicate and share their ideas with confidence. For example, they use instruments, such as maracas and guitars, and sing enthusiastically into a microphone, as they perform songs to their friends.

Staff teach children about the importance of following good hygiene routines. For example, they talk about the importance of handwashing and discuss oral health, as they become 'dentists'. Staff provide children with good opportunities to build on their physical skills. This is demonstrated when they confidently and safely negotiate climbing and balancing equipment. Children ride bikes with confidence, being aware of the space around them. All children learn to move in different ways. For instance, they enjoy regular dance classes.

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

• The management and staff use additional funding to support the individual needs of children effectively. They purchase a wide range of resources and experiences to support all children to develop their physical skills. This includes children participating in regular football classes.
• All staff establish positive partnerships with parents. They share helpful tips to support parents, such as toileting advice. Staff regularly share information with parents about what children are learning and their achievements. Staff help provide a consistent link between learning at the nursery and at home. For example, they share resources, such as books.
• The management closely monitors the quality of care and experiences that staff provide children. They evaluate together as a team daily and reflect on what went well and what could be done differently next time.
• All staff carry out regular training. This includes learning about how to fully support all children to develop their communication skills. As a result, staff implement regular communication games into the routines. This supports all children to develop their confidence in their speaking and listening skills.
• All staff establish positive relationships with all children. They know how to meet their needs and how to support them to fulfil their capabilities. Staff have high expectations of all children. Therefore, all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have a positive attitude towards their learning.
• Overall, children behave well and follow instructions. However, staff do not consistently provide children with a clear explanation of why they are being asked to do or not do something. For example, they are politely asked to stop running indoors, without clear explanation as to why this is expected. Therefore, some children do not completely understand the expectations of their behaviour.
• Staff support children with SEND effectively. They liaise closely with outside agencies, such as specialist teachers. Staff implement helpful and consistent strategies that support children. For example, they introduce visual timelines to support all children to understand and manage changes in routine well.
• Overall, staff support children to develop skills to support their future learning. For instance, children are confident to choose what activities they wish to participate in. However, at times, staff are too eager to complete tasks that children are capable of completing themselves. Therefore, children do not have consistent opportunities to prepare themselves for their future learning with even more independence.
• Staff teach children about other countries, traditions and festivals from around the wider world. This includes listening to Spanish music, learning about traditional Spanish dance and dressing in traditional dress, such as Indian saris and Nigerian gowns.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff gain confidence to consistently provide children with clear explanations of why they are being asked to follow a particular instruction
• support staff to consistently provide children with consistent opportunities to complete tasks themselves.