Storkway Crèche and Together For Twos

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are busy and active at nursery. They are cared for and nurtured by highly skilled and attentive staff, who know them well and plan for their individual needs. The layout of the nursery means that children have easy and independent access to resources and are confident to explore the nursery environment. Staff work hard to ensure that they provide an inclusive learning environment for all children. They adapt their practice to ensure that children receive the support they need to take part in all activities.

Staff have a clear focus on what they want children to learn. Children join in with familiar stories and rhymes, which offer them opportunities to learn new words and develop language and communication. Staff consistently use every opportunity to encourage children to do things for themselves. For example, with support and encouragement, children wash their hands before snack time to 'get the germs off', helping them to develop good hygiene habits. Staff are excellent role models, and expectations for behaviour are high. They consistently remind children how their actions affect others, which means there is a strong focus on sharing and turn taking. This contributes to a calm environment where children play with each other, engaging in games, such as hide and seek, and 'cooking' in the mud kitchen together. Children respond positively to praise and encouragement from adults, giving them a sense of pride in their achievements.

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

• Children have secure relationships with the adults who care for them. Staff get down to children's level to join in their play, skilfully introduce resources and extend children's thinking. This encourages back-and-forth conversations as children share their ideas and learn new words.
• Children develop mathematical skills as adults help them to think about how many worms they might find when they dig in soil during a worm hunt. Children share resources with each other and wait their turn, giving each other space and sharing joy in what they find.
• Snack time provides an opportunity for children to learn new words and try new foods. Staff talk about 'yummy' fruits and 'making choices', and encourage children to do things for themselves. Children respond by having a go at using serving spoons to access their snack and peeling their own bananas. They follow instructions and tidy up their dishes when they finish.
• Reading books together offers opportunities for children to expand their knowledge. Adults skilfully support children to develop their imagination by asking open-ended questions. Children are given time to think and respond, helping them to process their thoughts and clarify their thinking.
• Staff assess children's needs and work sensitively with parents and carers to plan next steps. Regular updates keep them informed of the progress children are making. Staff are highly skilled in working with families with identified needs, and they request support from external agencies as needed.
• Children know the nursery routine well. For example, they look for their photo on their 'belongings box' to get their coat to go outside. Children are confident to ask adults for help if needed. The responsive and caring team helps children to develop their self-esteem and resilience as they try to do things for themselves.
• A well-planned transition process helps staff to assess children's needs as they move on from the nursery. There are systems in place to share information, which means that children experience a responsive and caring settling-in period at the new setting. Occasionally, parents are not kept updated of next steps in their child's transition out of nursery in a timely manner.
• The nursery staff use resources available in the community to extend children's learning and development. For example, trips to the local library help children to develop a love of books and reading. This is evident as children independently select books at nursery and take them to an adult to read.
• In general, parent feedback shows that they value the service they receive. They praise the 'helpful' and 'lovely' staff team who support their children to make friends. Parents say that all the adults know their children very well, and that parenting tips on the nursery app are useful. On occasions, parents are not kept informed of developments in the nursery, which leaves them frustrated.
• Leaders keep up to date with developments in early years by accessing training, including that which is offered by the local authority. They actively seek out and create opportunities to ensure that both children and families receive the support they need. Staff share how training opportunities help them to strengthen and develop their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• offer parents the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences of the decisions that the nursery makes
• strengthen the transition process so that parents are fully involved and understand what will be happening as their children move on to the next stage in their education.