Strong Tower Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make friends and enjoy their time in the nursery. Staff base the activities and resources on the interests children show in their play and conversations. This helps children to build on what they already know and understand. Leaders plan a clear and structured curriculum. The strong ethos to support communication and language is threaded through all play and learning children embrace. For example, staff speak clearly to children. They encourage them to recall words they have previously learned and check they understand what the words mean. Children recall that their tower of bricks can 'collapse'. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. When they first start in the nursery, staff use key words in the language children use at home, repeating the word in English for children to begin to recognise. Staff use cards with visual clues to aid communication and take time to show children the physical objects they name. By the time children move on to school, they are articulate, confident individuals.

Children learn the simple and consistent rules staff have put in place. Through these, children begin to think about others and begin to regulate their own behaviours. Staff give children gentle reminders to share and take turns. This contributes to children's good behaviour. Staff are enthusiastic and good role models. In turn, children have positive attitudes to learning and towards others.

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

• Staff have a good understanding of the sequence of learning children experience to aid development. For example, they encourage children to strengthen their core muscles before beginning to promote the use of smaller and more precise movements with their hands.
• Children begin to learn about their bodies. Younger children know that they can take a nap after lunch and understand it is good to stay hydrated. Children learn to independently use the toilet and wash their hands. This helps them develop healthy routines and aids their preparation for school.
• Leaders are motivated to ensure that children have many memorable experiences to help provide a solid foundation for future learning. For example, children show an interest in dinosaurs. Staff take them to a famous museum to see the size and variety of dinosaurs. This helps children become immersed in the awe and wonder of the world around them.
• Staff adapt the nursery environment to suit the cohort of children. For example, they have changed a room to create a library. This helps to encourage children to love books. Staff talk to children about the difference between fiction and non-fiction. This contributes to children's understanding that they can find facts in some books.
• The dedicated staff embrace opportunities to develop their professional knowledge and understanding. They discuss the early years foundation stage during team meetings. Leaders set quiz questions to help identify any aspects that are unclear and swiftly address these through training and coaching. This helps to maintain the good quality care and education in the nursery.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff pass on information about what children have done during the day. Children take activity packs and books home to share with their parents and carers, helping to continue their learning. As a result, parents feel involved in their children's progress.
• Adult-led activities are planned and delivered throughout the day. For example, children make caterpillars after they have talked about minibeasts. However, children sit together and complete the activity simultaneously. As a result, not all children receive the support or opportunities to expand their learning at the most appropriate time. At times, children's autonomy to decide when to begin and finish activities is limited. This has an impact on opportunities for children to find a natural end in their play and investigations.
• Enthusiastic staff possess a great desire for children to be successful, often showing children how to complete tasks. In turn, children's opportunities to solve problems and work out how to do things in different ways for themselves is not always promoted. This restricts children's creativity and development of their independent thinking skills.
• Staff help children to identify emotions. They use simple sign language and words to help children communicate their feelings. However, occasionally, staff do not effectively show their acknowledgement that sadness, for example, is healthy. In turn, there are times when some children have difficulty learning how to express and work through their emotions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the daily organisation of how adult-led activities are planned and delivered to enhance the focused learning that children experience
• give children more time, particularly during adult-led activities, to develop their creativity and independent thinking skills
• continue to develop the good methods already established to help children understand their feelings, finding more strategies to help children co- and self-regulate emotions in empathetic and positive ways.