St. Gabriels Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children build strong emotional attachments with their key person and will seek them out for cuddles and reassurance when needed. Staff know the children well and are attentive and sensitive to their individual needs. Children clearly feel safe and secure. This helps them to become confident learners.

Overall, children develop a deep appreciation for books. Pre-school children recall what a story is about before it is read to them. Toddlers enjoy looking at a book on their own or listening in a small group to a story being read. Books are available in each room. However, the books for younger children are not maintained well and do not entice children to browse through them and make their own choices.

Staff have a strong focus on personal, social and emotional development across the nursery. They identified that children were less confident in this area when they returned to nursery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Children benefit from being split into small groups in their rooms. They move around the nursery in these small groups so that they all get an opportunity to access different activities, such as outdoor play. Children's behaviour is managed well in the nursery. Staff focus strongly on teaching children to share resources and take account of each other.

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

• The experienced manager supports the staff team well. She is enthusiastic in her role and has a clear vision for how she wants the nursery to develop. Effective systems are in place for the supervision of all staff. The management team observes staff's practice and provides them with constructive feedback to further improve their teaching. Staff complete regular training, such as safer sleeping and choking. This helps to keep their knowledge and skills current. Robust recruitment ensures that suitable staff are appointed to work with children.
• There is a strong focus on children's communication and language development. Staff use lots of commentary during children's play. They repeat words and rephrase what children say. For example, babies and toddlers enjoy sensory experiences, such as dried cereal and tasting various food. Staff introduce new words, such as 'crunchy' and 'sweet'. Music, movement and singing are part of everyday activities. This supports children's early attempts at communication.
• Staff know the children very well, including those who need additional support. They observe children to assess what they can do and to identify many of the skills they need to learn next. Planning focuses on any gaps in children's learning and experiences. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff identify potential issues early on, and external support and advice are sought when necessary. Parents are fully involved in the process.
• Children's health needs are promoted well. For example, staff gather detailed information about children's individual dietary needs. They follow robust procedures to ensure children with allergies and special dietary requirements are met. Staff talk to children about caring for their teeth. However, they have not worked with parents to help identify those who need a dentist.
• Partnership working with parents is effective. Management and staff work with parents of new children to find out about their needs and to help them settle in. Staff give parents a verbal update on their child's day when they collect them. Parents can also see staff's observations on their children on the online portal and have the opportunity for discussions about their child's development in meetings. Parents share their positive views of the setting and what staff do with their children.
• Children develop an understanding of the area in which they live. For example, they recently visited the local church and learned about the Harvest Festival. Children look at different festivals throughout the year, and learn that they are unique and that not everyone has the same beliefs and cultural traditions as them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• promote children's enjoyment of books, particularly in the baby room, by making sure they are maintained in a good state of repair
• develop methods for promoting the good oral health of children through links with parents.