Stanley House Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

There is a happy atmosphere across the nursery. Staff greet children, parents and visitors with a friendly welcome. The nursery is inviting and engaging. Children investigate and experience new things. Toddlers enjoy sensory experiences. For example, they explore shaving foam with pasta and grow in confidence as they learn about new textures and smells.

Staff plan an ambitious curriculum which takes account of children's interests. For example, staff identify when children become interested in leaves and acorns that fall from an oak tree. They support children to learn about autumn and the changing colours of the leaves. Staff select interesting books that they can use to extend children's interests. Children enjoy a story about squirrels and hedgehogs. They revisit learning as they watch the squirrels in the garden collecting acorns. Staff support children to learn about the natural world around them.

Staff use the 'golden rules' across the nursery. Children are reminded of the rules and behaviours and learn what is expected. Children's frustrations are quickly addressed. Staff support children to consider their own emotions and feelings as well as the feelings of others. Children's behaviour is very good. They learn to value and respect one another.

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

• Leaders have created a sequenced curriculum. Children develop independence as they progress through the nursery. They are well prepared for each stage in their learning. For example, younger children learn to feed themselves. Older children pour their drinks and lay the table. Children learn lifelong skills ready for the future.
• Leaders place a lot of focus on children's physical development. The outdoor provision is carefully designed to support children to build their core strength. Staff encourage children to climb trees and carefully balance on beams. Children are encouraged by staff to learn to take risks and push themselves a little higher. Children carefully build with tyres and planks and learn to work together as a team. Children are confident and competent movers.
• Staff provide lots of opportunity for babies and children to make marks in a range of different ways. Older children attempt to write letters to their friends. They carefully write their name on the envelope and seal it. Children are motivated to write.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. The knowledgeable special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with families and other professionals. When concerns are identified, a swift referral is made. This enables the nursery to access additional support for children who are eligible. Children are provided with high-quality support to make the progress they are capable of.
• Children's communication and language skills are well supported on the whole. Staff sing and talk with children. They engage in back-and-forth conversations, which promote children's growing vocabulary. However, staff do not always consider how best to reinforce new language children have learned. They model lots of different and new vocabulary for children, but do not consider how repetition can be used to cement this new learning. Regardless, children gain new skills that benefit their future learning journeys.
• Staff praise and encourage children who are happy and engaged. Children are constantly busy in purposeful play. For example, pre-school children build a castle and line up the dinosaurs. They create scenarios and use their imagination. Staff congratulate them on what they have made. Children are enthusiastic and motivated learners.
• Overall, parent partnership is strong. Parents express that children make progress from when they start at the nursery. Parents receive daily feedback about their child. However, parents are not provided with specific details of what their children will learn next to help them to continue with learning at home.
• The provider failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event where staff failed to ensure children's allergy requirements were followed. This is a requirement of their registration. We found the provider had taken appropriate action at the time of the event but had overlooked the requirement to notify Ofsted. The provider has now reviewed policies and procedures. Staff training has been updated. The incident did not have a significant impact on the quality of the provision.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider more effective ways to reinforce new language children are hearing to further support their emerging vocabulary
• consider more effective ways to help all parents to support and extend their children's learning at home.