St. Michaels /St. Matthews Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive at the setting and they quickly choose what they want to play with and engage with their peers. They part from their parents easily as they have secure attachments with the kind and caring staff. Children behave well and are considerate of one another. Children invite their friends over to play; they share and take turns.

Staff help children to develop their independence from a young age. Babies explore their environment and select what they want to play with. The older children are 'little helpers' as they prepare the table and serve their friends at mealtimes. Children receive an abundance of praise and encouragement throughout the day to help boost their self-esteem and confidence. Staff are aware of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children. They successfully plan activities and resources to narrow the gaps in children's development that have occurred as a result. They particularly understand that children need more support with their personal, social and emotional skills. For example, staff make great use of a 'tepee calm space' for the children to rest in to regulate their emotions.

Outside, children develop their physical skills as they run, climb, ride bicycles, jump and dig. Children use equipment such as magnifying glasses when they find a worm, which they explain will help them to see it 'bigger'. Children are curious; they move confidently between play areas and make their own play choices. Children are eager to further their knowledge of living things in the garden.

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

• The manager provides a curriculum that follows children's interests and encourages them to explore and investigate. Children are motivated to learn and show good levels of engagement during planned learning activities.
• There is a strong focus on promoting children's language skills within the nursery. All staff model a range of vocabulary, meaning that children consistently have opportunities to hear and practise new words. For example, staff teach the children words such as 'antenna' when they find a snail in the garden.
• The manager has a focus on improving children's understanding of oral health. Staff plan activities that support the children's understanding of the importance of brushing their teeth.
• The development of children's mathematical skills is good. Children know the correct language to use as they compare amounts, such as 'more' and 'less'. They are introduced to new concepts, such as half and whole. As a result, children make good progress in their mathematical development.
• Staff help children to learn about nature by growing their own food in the nursery garden. Children watch as the plants grow and learn how to take care of them. They discover first hand where food comes from. Children learn about healthy eating through activities and routines.
• The manager has high expectations for all children. This includes the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs coordinator and staff work in partnership with parents, the local authority and other professionals to ensure that children receive swift interventions.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents praise the nursery for the help and support their children receive. They tell the inspector that their children have made strong progress since starting and enjoy attending.
• Staff share that they feel appreciated, supported and valued in their roles. The manager provides individual supervision meetings for staff to discuss their work and the children they care for. Staff undertake training and implement what they learn so that the children benefit.
• The manager has successful strategies in place that promote partnerships with parents and outside professionals. However, leaders recognise that more can be done to widen the children's understanding of cultural diversity and differences between themselves and others in the wider world they live in.
• Sometimes, during activities, staff do not consistently ensure that younger or quieter children have the chance to share their ideas and thoughts. For instance, during a baking activity, staff focus their teaching and interactions on the most communicative children and overlook the quieter or less confident children. As a result, some children lose interest and do not benefit fully from staff's explanations and learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to identify quieter children and how to successfully include them more in large-group sessions
• strengthen opportunities for children to learn about cultural diversity outside of their own community.