St Pauls Nursery, Malvern Street

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages enjoy rich experiences at this nursery. They regularly make trips with staff into the local community. For example, they visit the farm, library and supermarket. These outings help children to learn about their local area, and inspire conversations. Children learn about life cycles as they grow sweet peas and broad beans. Staff introduce words such as 'tendrils' as they talk about the growing shoots. When they walk through the farm, they feed the animals corn. Children can name the different animals, such as guinea fowl and turkeys. This helps children to deepen their knowledge and broaden their vocabulary. It also allows the children to build essential skills needed for their future, such as learning about road safety during outings.

Children play with imagination and expression. They are confident communicators and are eager to learn. Staff support and scaffold play with fun ideas by building on previous learning and experiences. Children pretend to style hair and paint each others' nails. They talk about colours and numbers as they play.

Staff have high expectations for children, and children behave well. Children show kindness and empathy towards each other. When a child takes a small stumble, their friends help to pick them up and comfort them. They have a good understanding of how to care for each other and build relationships.

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

• Children make good progress in their learning. Leaders have built a curriculum that is exciting and structured. Staff know children well. Leaders are continuing to embed the process for sharing children's next steps and how staff plan to meet them. However, the planning of adult-led activities is not sharply focused on meeting individual children's next steps. This means that children do not yet make the best possible progress.
• Children learn about healthy lifestyles. They have daily access to fresh air in the gardens. The youngest children delight in rolling balls down a hill, which builds their strength and increases their heart rates. Children enjoy balanced and nutritious meals and have access to fresh drinking water. Children routinely wash their hands before eating food and when returning from outside. However, staff do not implement procedures consistently to ensure that they always wash their hands after wiping children's noses to help to reduce the spread of germs.
• Mealtimes are sociable times. Staff sit and chat to children. Children practise their independence skills. Children skilfully feed themselves with cutlery. They help to lay and clean the tables. This gives them a sense of responsibility as children proudly want to help one another.
• Parents speak very highly of the provision. They feel that staff are supportive and share valuable information. This strong partnership gives parents ideas about how to continue learning at home. This means that children have more opportunities to consolidate their understanding of learning from the nursery.
• Staff encourage children to express their own ideas and creativity. This is celebrated through children's work that is available to view throughout the nursery. Staff support children by modelling and giving examples, but allow children to follow their own interests. For example, children decide together to add water to the sand tray to make it easier to mould. This builds self-esteem as children proudly show off their achievements.
• Children are beginning to learn to share and take turns. They negotiate how to divide the tools for cutting play dough. Children listen to and respect each other's ideas. This means they get a good understanding of how to work together to problem solve.
• There are strong transition processes in place, including when children move from one base room to another in the nursery. Staff treat each child as unique and provide as much time as they need to settle. Children form close bonds with staff. Children approach staff for cuddles and reassurance. This means that they feel safe and secure in their presence.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff make regular observations and assessments. Children get the early support that they need. Staff work closely with other professionals to share ideas and focus targets. This helps children to achieve the progress they are capable of.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the planning of adult-led activities to sharply focus on children's individual next steps so that they can make the best progress that they are capable of
• consistently implement procedures for staff to always wash their hands after wiping children's noses to help to stop the spread of infection.