St Michael's Nurseries Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy learning with their friends at this nursery. They chat happily with each other and staff. Children are confident talkers. Children of all ages use challenging language in their play. They learn to make longer sentences and ask questions. Children feel safe and happy. They have strong relationships with managers and staff. Children greet staff with cuddles and ask them when they need help. Children feel valued and listened to. They learn to share and take turns. Children learn to think about the feelings of others, and they behave well.

Children learn new words. Staff are skilful at teaching children new vocabulary. For example, when children make pretend biscuits from the dough, staff ask them to make them 'smaller'. Children repeat new words that staff use. They say, 'rolling, rolling, rolling,' as they roll out the dough. Children choose what to make out of the dough, for example, they comment that they have made a 'bone'. Children receive praise when they have a go. They demonstrate pride in their achievements and develop good self-esteem.

Children learn about numbers. They learn to add numbers together on their fingers. Children work out challenging mathematical calculations. For example, they say, 'Ten and four is fourteen.' They draw their numbers on whiteboards. Children learn to recognise numbers and put them in order.

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

• The managers are very knowledgeable about child development. They support staff to understand how children learn. For example, all staff are trained to ask questions and wait for a response. They use ambitious language to speak to children.
• Managers and staff plan a varied and exciting curriculum. They observe and assess children to check what they know. Staff use this information to plan activities for children which challenge them. This helps children to be well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Managers and staff understand that children need time to develop skills. They know that using a variety of tools will help them to develop physical skills. However, sometimes, staff provide activities that are not challenging enough for all children. Children do not consistently have opportunities to keep trying when they find things difficult, to fully develop their resilience.
• Staff support children's language particularly well. They speak clearly to children. Staff ask questions to encourage children to think and solve problems. For example, when children make sandwiches, staff ask them if the jam is 'smooth' or 'slimy'. They encourage children to talk about the shapes they will cut their sandwiches into. Children respond with their own ideas. They explore cutting and folding the bread into different shapes. Staff use language to extend children's learning further.
• Parents are happy with the care that their children receive at the nursery. They report that children make friends and enjoy going to nursery. Parents say that children develop strong relationships with their key person and other staff.
• Partnerships with parents are generally strong. However, not all parents are clear about what information they should expect from the nursery. This means that parents do not always fully benefit from opportunities to extend their children's learning at home.
• Children sleep in a calm and peaceful environment. Staff have developed a familiar routine that allows children to rest. Children wake up when they are well rested. Friendly staff ask them what they want to do next. Children are happy and ready to learn.
• The manager and staff are reflective of their practice. They plan regular opportunities to access training to further develop their knowledge. This helps staff to support children's learning and development.
• The manager and staff teach children about other cultures outside of their own. Children learn about a wide variety of cultures, such as through exploring festivals, dress and music. They eat foods from around the world. Staff understand that this helps children to understand and respect each other's differences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop opportunities for children to practise their physical skills to support their perseverance and resilience further
• strengthen communication with parents so that they receive clear information about their children's learning.