Teddies House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff extend a warm welcome to children and their families. They get to know each child from the start, gathering a wide range of information from parents about each child when they first attend. This information is used effectively to tailor their approach to each child's individual care and learning. Regular reviews with parents help to ensure that staff understand and can meet each child's emerging needs.

Leaders are ambitious and have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn while attending the nursery. This enthusiasm is shared with all staff. There is a wonderful atmosphere of support and teamwork, which not only benefits staff well-being, but also children's experiences. Staff implement a unique and carefully sequenced curriculum to support children to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for the next stage on their learning journey. Children's interests are used effectively to help engage them in their learning. For example, staff provide opportunities to make the characters from children's favourite stories. Children recall the story as they use materials to make pretend snakes.

Children behave well. Staff support them to understand the impact that their behaviour may have on others. They recognise that some children may need time and help to regulate their emotions. A consistent approach to managing children's behaviour helps to ensure that all children understand the high expectations of staff.

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

• The development of children's communication and language skills is given high priority by all staff. They talk to children as they play and introduce new and interesting words into conversations. For example, while using models to practice toothbrushing, staff introduce words such as 'cavities' when explaining why it is important to brush our teeth. In addition, songs and rhymes are taught with enthusiasm. Over time, children become effective communicators.
• Children are confident and enthusiastic learners who make decisions about what they would like to play with. Staff use their knowledge of children's individual next steps as they play and interact with children. Staff are eager for all children to do well. That said, on occasion, some staff do not consistently support children to test out their ideas and thinking fully. At these times, children's critical thinking skills are less precisely extended.
• Children enjoy regularly spending time outdoors in the nursery garden. Staff recognise that some children prefer to learn outdoors and offer a range of opportunities for children to practise their skills in their preferred learning environment. Children enhance their physical strength and balance as they play on wheeled toys and scoop sand from the sand tray. Children of all ages engage well and develop good physical skills.
• The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the nursery. Staff who work to support children with SEND do so tirelessly and with great determination. They help to ensure that any gaps in children's learning and development are swiftly identified and reduced. Secure partnership working with a range of outside agencies helps to ensure that strategies are implemented in a consistent way. The needs of all children are met exceedingly well.
• Children are taught to recognise risks and the action to take in the event of an emergency. For example, pre-school children enthusiastically join in 'mini-medic' sessions. They learn how to call for emergency assistance and how to place people into the recovery position if needed. This helps to develop children's understanding of safety.
• Staff feel incredibly well supported, both professionally and personally. Staff well-being is incredibly important to leaders. As a result, staff are a happy and cohesive team who work together well. Leaders offer a range of staff supervision opportunities. The professional development of each member of staff is carefully targeted. This enables staff to build on their professional knowledge and skills over time.
• Parents speak highly of the staff and nursery. They value the support the whole family receives from staff. Parents appreciate the regular updates on their child's progress. Staff communicate effectively and share ideas on child development matters, such as toilet training and sleep routines. Parents are supported to understand what their child needs to learn next. This enables them to contribute to their child's learning at home in a consistent way.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to extend opportunities for children to share their thoughts and try out their ideas to help extend children's critical thinking skills further.