The Boulevard

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff have developed close, secure and trusting bonds with children and parents. As a result, children are settled in this calm and welcoming environment. Children arrive happy and smiling and are welcomed with friendly words. Children are eager and curious to explore the many exciting activities staff plan for them. Leaders oversee the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious and challenging for all children. This means that children make good progress in their overall development. Staff support children's emotional well-being by offering praise and reassurance when children need it. They interact warmly during care routines such as nappy changing and rest times.

Staff have high expectations of all children, and children behave very well. Staff act as role models, show respect and listen to what children say. They support children to build positive relationships with their peers by encouraging them to show kindness and help one another. Children enjoy their time at the nursery. Young children are helped by key workers to develop their physical skills by pulling up on low-level furniture, turning pages in books and pushing and pressing buttons on toys. Older children are curious to explore mark making, sand play and observing how properties change from dry to wet when water is added. Staff encourage children to gain new knowledge and skills and celebrate children's achievements.

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

• Leaders are passionate about children achieving the best possible outcomes. They have a targeted action plan that they are working towards to continually drive improvement. This has had a positive impact on teaching and learning across the nursery.
• Staff take time to get to know children individually. They regularly observe and track their progress. They speak to parents about their children's interests at home, which enables staff to plan activities based on what children know and what they can do. Any gaps in learning are quickly identified and appropriate strategies and support are put into place.
• Partnerships with parents are very strong. Parents value the positive contribution that the staff make to their children's lives and the progress they have made. Parents report that they are well informed about changes in the setting and what their children are learning via open days, parents' evenings and an online app.
• Leaders and staff support children's emotional well-being very well. This robust key-person approach supports children to develop secure bonds. When children first start and begin settling in, staff take time to get to know their routines at home. This supports children to settle quickly and calmly in the nursery and make them feel valued.
• Children have access to a wide range of opportunities to develop their independence and self-care skills. They are learning to manage their own personal skills, such as accessing water when they need to, putting their plates in the sink and feeding themselves. However, mealtimes are not organised effectively in all rooms. Babies sometimes wait too long and do not have opportunities to socialise with their peers.
• Staff provide exciting experiences that children engage in. Children are motivated and eager to learn. Transitions during the day are managed well, and staff take time to support children to know what is expected of them. This supports children's learning and helps them to develop relationships with their peers.
• Staff have access to regular online training and development, as well as having supervision sessions, which allows leaders to address weaknesses in practice. These are acted on swiftly by leaders to continually improve practice and are monitored to ensure that there is a positive impact on children and staff. Staff report good levels of well-being and say that leaders are supportive.
• Leaders have designed a curriculum where children are curious. As a result, children are confident to learn and try new things. Young children explore their environment with ease, moving from one activity to another. Older children independently access resources and add them to their play. They work positively to achieve goals such as treasure hunting, building with blocks and counting successfully.
• Children have access to lots of arts and craft materials, and they take part in mark making, drawing and painting. However, staff do not always allow children to express their own ideas to further develop their imaginations.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of mealtimes to transform them into a positive social occasion
• provide more support for staff to encourage children to follow and express their own ideas through creative activities to develop their imaginations further.