Stoborough Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children respond positively to the warm, friendly greeting staff give on their arrival, helping them feel safe in their care. Children settle quickly to play and engage well in the range of motivating activities provided. Children interact very well with their friends and show kindness and consideration for others. For example, they willingly make space for a friend to sit with them at circle time, with no prompting from staff to do so.

Staff have a clear intent for children's learning. They provide a curriculum to motivate children's curiosity and investigation through play and help them make good progress from their starting points. Children develop their imaginations well. They like to rock their 'babies' while pretending to feed them. They squeeze, squash and roll out play dough and tell a visitor they are making some 'green peas' and 'chips'.

Children gain a good understanding of the world. They listen intently to a favourite story about animals and learn that a chimpanzee does not have a tail, a zebra has stripes and a giraffe has a very long neck. Children tell staff that lions live in hot countries and cheetahs run very fast. They develop an interest in their local environment and talk about a nearby castle and bridge. Children learn about turrets and say, 'a castle protects people'.

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

• The manager has clear aims for the nursery and works hard to support staff effectively in their roles. Staff continue to attend training to refresh their knowledge. For example, they have developed their understanding of ways to monitor and assess children's development.
• Children behave very well. They play cooperatively and happily share their toys. Staff act as good role models. They talk calmly with children, giving them reassurance and praising their good behaviour.
• Staff promote children's communication and language very well. They help all children gain the confidence to communicate and express their views. Children enjoy joining in with a story about animals. They eagerly make a 'great big roaring' sound like a lion.
• Children enjoy playing in the garden area and benefit from regular opportunities to play out in the fresh air. However, staff do not always fully consider how they could encourage children to use more of the outdoor resources consistently well; for example, to support those who learn best outdoors further still.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and comment that their children are happy and make good progress. Parents say how much they appreciate the supportive, friendly approach that staff give to them and their children.
• Staff make good use of additional funding to support children's individual learning needs. They obtain further resources, such as mark-making tools and information books that support children's specific interests and next steps of learning.
• The manager and staff are reflective of their practice and continue to develop the provision. For example, they have reorganised the playroom to create a calmer environment with more focussed, meaningful areas of learning. Children explore the playroom with interest and engage well in the activities.
• Children develop a sound understanding of healthy lifestyles. They talk about foods that help their teeth stay strong and learn about the importance of brushing their teeth to keep them clean. They enjoy exercise and enthusiastically shake their arms, legs, fingers and tummies in their action songs and games. Children gain confidence and develop good control and balance, such as when they eagerly climb on the large wooden pirate ship outdoors.
• Staff provide a balance of adult- and child-led activities during the session. However, at times, staff interrupt children's free play, such as for tidy up time or to change their nappies. This does not enable children to have time to fully finish their self-chosen play.
• Staff liaise effectively with the adjoining school, including to manage children's smooth transition to the reception class. Children develop good confidence, independence and social skills to help them prepare for this move.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop ways of monitoring children's use of resources in the garden area to support more effectively those children who learn best outdoors
• review the organisation of some daily routines to give children sufficient warning of changes in activities and enable them to finish their play to their own satisfaction.