The Alphabet House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The dedicated staff greet children warmly as they arrive at this awe-inspiring nursery. Staff demonstrate excellent knowledge of the children and adapt the routines and interactions consistently to ensure their individual needs are met. Staff ensure routines are embedded to support children to settle easily and engage in the activities on offer. Staff ensure all children experience a language-rich environment. They continually introduce children to ambitious vocabulary, such as 'heart is pounding', that children confidently refer to when answering questions related to the benefits of exercising. Staff also introduce children to a wide range of books. This helps children to be creative and use their imagination skills during role play well. Staff act as exemplary role models and have the highest expectations of children's learning and behaviour. This ensures children always behave exceptionally well.

Staff are highly skilled at extending children's learning in every situation. For example, they encourage children to take appropriate risks and carefully walk on the wooden planks. Staff adapt the obstacle course to challenge children further. They consistently motivate children to have a go and persevere, developing their core strength and coordination, as well as supporting hand-eye coordination well. Consequently, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make rapid progress from their individual starting points.

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

• The passionate manager and staff know each child thoroughly well. They work closely with parents and gather information on their children. This enables staff to plan a curriculum that takes into account children's individual learning styles, next steps and needs, ensuring all children make exceptional progress.
• The nursery benefits from an extremely dedicated and knowledgeable management team. They possess a strong desire to continually develop staff practice to provide each individual child with the strongest foundations in life. They are consistent in thoroughly evaluating their practice, and adapting the curriculum to ensure children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning journey.
• Staff have supported children to become familiar with the routines. This helps children to meet the very high expectations staff have in developing children's personal independence and behaviour. For example, children swiftly form a line, and chant 'choo choo' as they walk to the bathroom pretending to be a train. They wash their hands independently and set the table, before sitting down to serve themselves lunch. The children work exceptionally well in taking responsibility to clear their plates and tables. They also share the responsibility to wash their own dishes and cutlery well.
• Staff plan opportunities to teach children about the different seasons, plants and growth, while developing their language and communication skills well. Children enjoy exploring the nature garden and demonstrate confidence when they share and discuss their understanding of plants. Staff ask questions to encourage children to revisit prior learning, such as 'What do plants need to grow?' Children reply, 'oxygen and sunlight'. This helps children consolidate and secure their learning on understanding the world around them.
• The management team and staff ensure that they provide a highly inclusive environment in which children, staff and families are respected. Staff plan events where parents are invited to share information about their culture and faith. Staff also plan trips for children to visit different places of worship. This helps children develop respect for and understanding of the beliefs and cultures of others well. Staff also work closely with families and external professionals to support children with SEND particularly well.
• Staff plan ample opportunities to support children to make a positive contribution in their local community. They encourage children to engage in charity work. For example, fundraising events are thoroughly enjoyed by children, who dress up as superheroes. Children benefit from visiting the recycling bank and staff teach them about the importance of recycling. Staff support children to develop compassion and empathy well. For example, staff planned for children to bake cakes, which they delivered to the residents of the local care home for older people.
• Children benefit from staff planning a wide range of activities to ensure their core strength and physical coordination skills are developed well. For example, as part of the 'Superstar Sports' initiative, staff work with external sports professionals to support children to develop skills in yoga, football, ballet and dance. This ensures that children's physical development is enhanced exceptionally well.