Swanland Nursery and Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed by warm, caring staff. This helps children to feel like they belong, and they settle in quickly. Children are confident and engage in activities of their choosing. Staff demonstrate respect for the children and lovingly support them as they learn and play. They know the children well. Staff talk to children about being kind and considerate as they show empathy for one another. For instance, when children become momentarily upset, staff praise other children for recognising this and for showing care and concern for their friends. Children's empathy and understanding of others mean they readily play and learn together well and demonstrate good behaviour. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Management and staff have created a curriculum that is well suited to support the children's current needs and growing abilities. This is designed to build on what children already know and supports them to achieve their future learning goals. Management continually review the curriculum to check it is effective in motivating children to learn. For example, when children talk about showing their passport at the airport, staff follow this area of interest and help children to create their own passports. Staff prompt children to describe their own characteristics and draw their passport picture. This helps children to make good progress in their learning.

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

• Children thoroughly enjoy listening to stories read by staff. Staff use puppets and props during the story to help bring meaning to the pictures children see. Children confidently join in with familiar parts of the story and can recall the story when finished. This promotes their listening and communication skills and develops their use of vocabulary.
• Staff teach children to be independent from an early age. Children choose their activities and preferences for indoor or outdoor play. Children learn to put on their shoes and coats and are skilful at serving their own meals, including peeling fruit for snack. This provides children with the skills required for their next stage in education.
• Staff do not always consider the amount of time children are waiting to engage in activities or to collect their meals. As a result, sometimes, children become disengaged and lose interest while waiting. This means that, sometimes, children do not make the progress they are capable of.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) flourish at the nursery. Staff work in partnership with parents to help them develop support plans for children. Staff understand the needs of children and have strategies in place to ensure their emotional well-being is supported well.
• Staff introduce some simple mathematics into children's play. For example, they count to, and recognise, the number `four' as they count animals. However, staff do not consistently introduce number and mathematical concepts into children's play. This limits children's opportunities to develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding.
• Hygiene practices are embedded well into the routine and children understand the importance of maintaining these. For example, children are keen to wash their hands before eating and put their rubbish into the bin at lunchtime.
• Staff provide children with experiences in the local community. Children enjoy taking the bus to purchase a fish for the setting. They learn to care for their pets, keeping them clean and feeding them. Children take 'Sunny the Swan' home and happily recall the many adventures they have with Sunny and their families. These experiences provide children with a sense of belonging at the setting.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents value their consultation on their children's development especially those children with SEND. Parents are kept up to date regarding their children's progress in their learning and development through an electronic app and daily conversations.
• Management are committed to their roles. They understand the value of reflecting and evaluating their provision. This helps them to continually improve and make any necessary enhancements. Managers closely monitor practice and appreciate the staff's views and opinions. Staff are provided with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge. This effectively supports the quality of care and education the children receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• introduce number and mathematical concepts more into everyday play, to enable children to make even better progress in developing their mathematical knowledge
• explore the length of time that children are waiting during activities, including mealtimes to ensure children maintain interest and enthusiasm for activities.