Stanley's at Horsley Hill

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, confident and keen to learn. They become involved in independent play. For example, two-year-old children work diligently to carry water from the tap to the role-play kitchen outdoors. They help one another when the containers become too heavy to manage alone. Babies show a sense of security in staff's care. They snuggle up close while feeding from bottles and enjoy games of peekaboo with visitors. Pre-school children engage in pretend play, such as washing and dressing dolls. They nominate staff to be a 'special helper' during their games.

The manager is aware of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on some children's learning and development. She takes this into account within the new flexible, child-led curriculum, which is in its early stages. Staff take account of children's interests and abilities when planning activities and experiences. This encourages children's involvement and, generally, helps them to learn and remember more.

Staff encourage children to respect others and teach them good manners. Children are polite and well behaved. They develop good attention skills. Children listen to staff read storybooks. When they hear the 'tidy-up song', children help to put away activities when asked by staff.

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

• Staff understand the intent of the curriculum and know what they want children to learn. However, this is not yet embedded securely across the nursery. Some staff are less confident about how the curriculum should be implemented. This means that some children do not remain deeply engaged in their learning. However, overall, interactions are positive between staff and children. Children are supported to develop good physical skills. They benefit from obstacle courses outdoors that help them to develop their balance and coordination.
• Children are active in their learning. They are keen to take part in the activities available. Two-year-old children join in enthusiastically during a parachute game and ask for one more turn. Babies eagerly explore the sand tray. Staff support them to fill and empty containers, which helps them to develop their hand-to-eye coordination. Staff use mathematical language during play. This supports children to develop an understanding of numbers, size and capacity.
• Partnerships with parents are a distinct strength. Staff discuss children's learning and progress with parents frequently and in detail. This helps parents to further support their children's learning at home. Parents talk about how they trust staff and value the relationships they form with children. They say their children love to come to nursery.
• The arrangements for settling new children into nursery are highly effective. Staff take time to learn about children's needs and routines. This helps children to feel at ease quickly and supports their emotional well-being successfully. Furthermore, staff work closely with parents to ensure that children continue to feel supported and confident when they move to a new room in the nursery.
• Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. Staff support them to wash their hands at key points during the day and talk to them about good nutrition. Staff help parents to develop their knowledge of a healthy diet for children. For instance, they share information about the sugar content in foods and help them to provide children with alternative, healthier meals and snacks.
• The manager has maintained the good-quality practice since the last inspection. She works with staff and parents to help to evaluate the setting, to identify strengths and areas for development. However, she does not precisely monitor action plans and procedures to help drive the quality to the highest levels.
• Staff are keen to build on their knowledge and skills. They receive coaching and attend training. Although the manager completes supervision sessions for staff, further coaching and mentoring sessions to help identify specific weaknesses in practice are not fully embedded. This includes ensuring strategies to support non-verbal children are strengthened.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• deepen staff's understanding of how to deliver a consistently high-quality curriculum that is securely embedded throughout the nursery
• strengthen the evaluation of the setting and build on the good monitoring systems to ensure procedures and actions plans are completed in a timely manner
• develop the arrangements for professional development further, to ensure this is consistently focused, highly effective and helps staff to raise the quality of their interactions to the highest level.