St. Anthony's Catholic Primary School and Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children quickly form trusting relationships with the nurturing staff and settle in well. If they find it difficult, the caring staff offer reassurance. Children's sense of safety and security at the nursery is evident. Staff observe and assess children's learning effectively, using their insights to plan activities based on individual interests. For example, children laugh with delight and excitedly squeal as they pour water from jugs. They demonstrate a fantastic willingness to try new things.

Staff are positive role models, and children behave well. Children have positive attitudes to play and new experiences. For example, older children enjoy counting to five, beaming with pride as they confidently call out the next number. This helps children to remain focused during activities.

Staff know the children very well and place a strong focus on supporting their social and emotional development. Children form warm, trusting bonds with staff and build close friendships with their peers. For example, they exchange kind smiles and make eye contact while sitting together in the book area. They develop essential social skills that will support them as they transition to the next class within the attached school.

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

• Staff plan a curriculum that builds children's confidence and fosters a love of learning through play. For instance, babies eagerly explore light-up toys, delighting in discovering which buttons activate them. Older children become engrossed in colouring number sheets, strengthening their early mathematics skills. However, at times, staff do not sequence learning effectively, and play opportunities are limited. They do not start from what the children already know and can do. This limits younger children's learning and exploration.
• Staff provide nurturing and supportive teaching interactions, fostering a warm and engaging learning environment. They actively encourage conversations with children while sharing their favourite stories, strengthening communication and language skills. For example, younger children enthusiastically point to pictures and imitate familiar animal sounds, such as saying 'cluck, cluck' for a chicken. Their love of books and reading supports the development of essential early literacy skills.
• Overall, staff support children to behave well. They encourage turn-taking and help children consider the feelings of others, promoting cooperative play. However, at times, staff do not consistently communicate clear behaviour expectations. Instead of guiding children to understand their actions, they sometimes redirect them away from an activity. This approach does not always support children in making positive behaviour choices or learning the difference between right and wrong.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff use observations and assessments to identify potential gaps in children's learning. They work with parents and other professionals to seek the additional help each child needs. For instance, children who previously struggled with physical skills can now run, jump and walk with confidence. All children make the best possible progress.
• The leadership and management in the nursery are strong. Leaders and staff are committed to continuous improvements. They use self-evaluation effectively to make positive changes to the nursery. Staff attend training to enhance their practice. For instance, staff explain how recent training around supporting the youngest children will help them to implement new activities. Staff receive regular supervision and appraisals from managers. This helps staff to feel supported in their roles. Staff report high team morale, which creates a harmonious learning environment for children.
• Staff and leaders have strong partnerships with parents. Staff share information with parents and involve them in their children's learning. Parents value the clear communication and the flexible, personalised approach of the staff. Staff warmly invite parents into the nursery at any time, and many parents regularly visit to spend time with their children during the day. This openness helps to support children's well-being and strengthens the trusting bonds they have with the staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan a sequenced curriculum and improve the variety of play experiences to consistently support children to practise skills they need for future learning
• ensure staff provide children with more consistent behaviour expectations to help them make positive behaviour choices.