The Alphabet House Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. Staff create a safe and nurturing space where children feel valued and secure. This contributes to the warm atmosphere felt throughout the nursery. Staff provide all children with magical and well-thought-out activities that will spark their learning. For example, children thoroughly enjoy making porridge as a group. They skilfully add their ingredients and take their time as they mix, scoop and pour. Children proudly declare, 'I did it,' when they have finished.

Staff place a strong focus on children's communication and language development. They describe their actions, repeat key words and phrases and include interesting vocabulary. For example, children smile as they explore the 'spiky starfish' with staff. Song and rhymes play a big part of the curriculum, and staff and children regularly break out into song. For instance, when children spot a bus on the table, staff and children smile as they start to sing 'The Wheels on the Bus' together.

Staff are positive role models and are considerate of children's needs and emotional well-being. For example, children enjoy having 'regulation time' as a group, where they can discuss how they are feeling. Staff have high expectations for children, and overall, children's behaviour is good. For example, children carefully watch the sand timer when they are waiting for their turn to play with a particular resource. There is a real sense of community at the nursery. Children enjoy trips to the local shops and fire station where they learn about people who help us.

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

• The nursery benefits from a strong management team, which is deeply reflective and evaluative. It ensures that the curriculum meets the needs of each child who attends and addresses any gaps in children's learning experiences. Staff describe an open and supportive environment with lots of opportunities for training and professional development. They have regular supervision sessions with leaders. This helps them to feel valued and listened to. The management team is dedicated to creating an environment that is kind, professional and connected.
• Staff use shared strategies to promote children's positive behaviour. For instance, children show immense pride when it is their turn to be the 'behaviour officer' for the day. Staff remind children about 'golden rules', such as using their 'walking feet' indoors and 'gentle hands'. However, staff do not always consistently teach children about the reasons why these rules are important. Therefore, children do not always build on their understanding of rules and boundaries to help them to regulate their actions independently.
• Staff teach children to develop self-care skills. Babies confidently feed themselves at lunchtime. Toddlers enjoy helping staff to set up for lunch and joyfully say aloud the names of the friends as they put their place mat down. Older children are incredibly proud to show the inspector how they independently put on their own coats when going outside. Staff promote good hygiene practices. Children know they must wash their hands before eating and after sneezing.
• Children enjoy the wide range of activities and experiences that staff have planned for them. For example, children happily 'sell' real fruits and vegetables in their outdoor shop in the garden. Toddlers enjoy acting out the different actions they see at the 'Handa's Surprise' planned activity. Staff are passionate in delivering high-quality activities. However, sometimes, in their enthusiasm, some staff do not follow children's interests during spontaneous play and learning. This means that children's curiosity and critical thinking skills are not always fully supported.
• Children have access to a well-equipped outdoor area, providing them with numerous opportunities to practise their physical and creative skills. For example, older children independently fill a jug and transfer water to their watering cans so they can water their seeds in the growing area. Younger children practise climbing and balancing on the slope. Children and staff have a lot of enjoyment outside, and there is a great deal of laughter and fun during this time.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and appreciate the friendly staff team. Staff keep parents well informed on a day-to-day basis, providing regular updates about children's activities and care routines. They comment that their children always ask to go to nursery, even at the weekends. The leadership team has worked incredibly hard to develop strong partnerships, and parents value being able to spend time in the nursery during stay-and-play sessions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help all staff to recognise when to support children's own interests and fascinations to further support their curiosity and engagement
• promote children's understanding further about the rules and boundaries in the setting and why these are important so they develop their knowledge of how to behave and keep themselves safe.