Stoke Green Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children warmly and welcome them into this friendly provision. Children are happy to see their friends and keen to join in with the play opportunities on offer. Staff make creative use of the outdoor learning space. They provide exciting invitations for active play that encourage the development of children's physical skills, imagination and curiosity. Staff take a lead from children's interests and motivations. For example, they enthusiastically support children to create a police car using a large cardboard box. This helps to build on children's previously acquired knowledge about people who help us.

Staff ensure that care routines are respectful and reflect the individual needs of the children. They skilfully provide just the right amount of support for children to develop their self-care skills. For example, babies use a spoon to have a go at scooping their food, while slightly older children use cutlery to competently feed themselves. Staff actively encourage pre-school children to unwrap their food and manage their lunchtime routines independently in readiness for their transition to school. Staff supervise children well and sit with children during snack and mealtimes. They are excellent role models for social interaction and skilfully engage children in lively chatter as they eat.

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

• Leaders develop a clear and well-sequenced curriculum. The learning experiences they provide are broad and challenging which support children to make good progress across all seven areas of learning. Staff use their careful observations of children to effectively assess what they have learned and to identify their next steps.
• On the whole, leaders effectively monitor and support staff through coaching and supervision. However, this is not yet fully embedded in a way that enables staff to reflect on how they can further enhance their teaching and children's learning opportunities. For example, some teaching during group times in the pre-school room does not motivate children as well as possible.
• The skilled and experienced special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly effective in working with staff to identify concerns with children's development. Staff's clear observations and prompt action help children to receive swift and appropriate support. They work well in partnership with parents, external agencies and other professionals. Staff plan interventions that are specifically targeted to what children need to learn. The action that staff take is well planned and is highly effective in ensuring children make the best possible progress.
• Staff engage meaningfully in opportunities for children to develop and practise their physical skills. Children delight in accessing the obstacle course as they skilfully climb and balance on crates and tyres. Children recognise that they all have differing levels of confidence and offer support to their peers when it is needed. Staff recognise and praise children for their kindness to others.
• Children behave well. They respond positively to staff, who support them effectively to understand the five nursery rules. Staff reinforce these meaningfully throughout the day. They make clear links between their expectations and keeping children safe. Children engage cooperatively with their peers. They develop their skills in turn-taking and sharing resources. Young children invite others into their play and are keen to involve visitors as they make bowls of pretend ice cream during role play.
• Overall, staff support children as confident communicators. They create many opportunities for sensory play and frequently introduce new and interesting vocabulary. Babies delight in exploring shaving foam and paint. Staff use some descriptive words, such as 'squidgy' and 'smooth' to extend their vocabulary. However, staff do not provide older children with the language models they need to further extend their understanding and use of an extensive vocabulary.
• Parents are extremely pleased with the relationships that staff develop with their children. They state that children are delighted to arrive at nursery and run straight in to get on with their day. Parents receive daily verbal feedback from their child's key person in addition to information exchanged during regular parents' evenings. Parents are enthusiastic about coming into nursery for special events, such as picnics, sports days and graduation.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the monitoring of staff practice to identify where they need further support and guidance to enhance their teaching skills
• provide older children with further opportunities to develop their understanding of the correct use of language.