Teddy Wilf's @ Tangmere

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle promptly at nursery and separate from their parents or carers with ease. Children's current interests aid in the process. For instance, when children share a leaf they found en route, staff discuss how they could do some leaf printing. Children, even babies, understand what is coming next in their daily routine. For example, staff give children notice of change and set a timer to help children to recognise when this time is up. Babies show skills that they have learned through effective demonstration and teaching. For instance, they understand how to use the hand pump to draw the water through the system and watch in awe and wonder as the water draws through and flows down the pipes into the waiting buckets. Children build high levels of resilience. For example, if they accidentally take a tumble, they recognise how to assess their situation and if they need support.

Children consistently have opportunities to have their voices heard, and staff readily value their views. This starts from the youngest children having choices about their play, enabling them to understand that their opinions matter. Children enjoy being creative. They use coloured foam to make different-flavoured ice creams and a birthday cake. Staff extend their engagement, such as through enquiring how the foam and cooked spaghetti feel to touch. Children develop close relationships with other children and readily involve staff in their chosen activities. For example, children initiate a game of duck duck goose, showing that they know the rules. Their enjoyment is infectious, and more children and staff join in, extending the game and children's enjoyment. Children begin to understand the concept of size during their play. For example, staff ask children if the car is too small or too big to go down the ramp and, through trial and error, they work this through.

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

• Leaders devise an ambitious curriculum that provides clear direction for staff to plan for children's learning along a road map. The main overall ethos for the setting is to ensure that children develop secure attachments. Staff devise clear plans for a challenging curriculum for each child that enables them to make the progress that they are capable of.
• Staff have a clear knowledge of their role as a key person and fully understand children's family structures, interests and developmental stages. There is an effective system in place to enable all staff to understand what comes next in children's learning along the road map. This means that staff make the most of their interactions with children.
• There is a clear and effective leadership structure at the nursery where leaders and staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Staff receive a full induction and ongoing individual meetings to identify training needs and desires. This enables staff to continually build on their practice and knowledge. There is a clear family ethos to the setting, and support for staff's well-being is successful.
• Children receive many differing ways to extend their communication and language development. For instance, staff use cue cards, communication boards and simple signing. However, staff sometimes ask children too many questions at once or answer questions for them. This does not consistently provide children with the time they need to gather their thoughts and respond to questions and to build on their understanding of the flow of a conversation.
• Leaders are fully conversant with successful systems for observing and supporting staff's practice. They understand how to highlight good-quality teaching aspects and the areas for development for staff. This contributes to continually improving staff's knowledge and, therefore, the outcomes for children's learning.
• Partnerships with parents are effective in exchanging information to enable parents to play a full and active role in their children's care and education. Parents report that they have seen their children grow in confidence and that their speaking skills have developed rapidly. This effective communication enhances relationships and provides consistency between the nursery and home.
• The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective in ensuring that children receive the care and education they need. There is clear and successful liaison with parents and other professionals involved in children's lives. This enables all children to make good developmental progress and be ready for their next stage in life.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's awareness of providing children with the time they need to gather their thoughts and response to questions staff pose.