The Chessel Centre Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's welfare and safety are at the heart of everything staff do. Children are very happy and settled in the nursery. They have the confidence and self-esteem to develop their independence. Children's overall health, welfare and well-being are significantly enhanced by the excellent key-person system. The nurturing staff are very positive role models for children and encourage highly positive behaviours. They help children understand the importance of using good manners, and to show care, respect and tolerance towards each other. Staff provide a wealth of opportunities for children to learn about and respect the similarities and differences they have with others. For example, staff teach children rhymes and read stories in different languages. During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, children invited extended families and the wider community to join them in the nursery for 'story time' using electronic systems.

Younger children learn together in a dedicated area of the nursery where they manipulate dough, explore different textures and enjoy peering into the tropical fish tank. Older children who are about to go to school show an exceptional understanding of linking sounds to letters and excellent number skills. They are actively engaged, listen to instructions and are very enthusiastic during adult-led activities. Additionally, they have an excellent understanding of fair play, regularly voting as a group to decide favourite storybooks or activities and happily accept the outcome.

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

• The dedicated manager demonstrates a long-term, well-documented and largely successful drive to improve the education and care of the children who attend the nursery. She and her staff share these high aspirations with parents and the local community who work together to raise standards for children. All staff are encouraged to pursue ongoing professional development opportunities to help build on their skills.
• Senior staff implement a broad and interesting curriculum which ensures all children achieve well. The whole staff team places a high priority on building children's confidence, self-esteem and independence. At inspection, children of all ages show a can-do attitude and are keen to do things for themselves. For example, one-year olds enjoy feeding themselves, toddlers quickly learn to toilet independently, and older children dress and undress capably to play outdoors.
• The quality of teaching and staff interactions for older children are excellent and staff have an exceptionally detailed knowledge of all learning areas. This knowledge underpins their planning and delivery of exciting and challenging experiences which staff tailor to meet children's individual next steps in learning, including those who may be at risk of any development delay. Recently, the team has reflected a need to deepen children's understanding of technology by using a programmable floor robot to help children extend their sequencing, estimation and problem-solving skills.
• Overall, the manager has an accurate evaluation of the nursery. Staff know the children very well, assess their development closely and sequence children's learning effectively. However, although staff working with younger children strive towards consistently high standards, some staff interactions occasionally lack the challenge to support children's individual learning to the highest level, to bring about rapid progress.
• Staff place a good emphasis on promoting children's language skills. Older children's communication and language skills are flourishing, for instance, as they discover an unfamiliar insect, a 'shield bug', hiding in a variety of herbs. They invite adults to have a look, smell the mint and a sprig of rosemary, and repeat the new word. Staff read younger children stories using good expression and puppets. This motivates them to join in familiar phrases and learn new words.
• The manager and staff give careful consideration to how any additional funding the nursery receives is used. They make sure it is spent to ensure it has the greatest impact on children's learning, development and well-being.
• Partnerships with parents and a wide range of professionals are high quality. They are well informed of children's progress, and parents are supported in extending learning at home. Parents are complimentary about the nursery. They say staff are enthusiastic, warm and friendly and that their children are very happy.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build even further on the systems for coaching staff who work with the younger children and to raise teaching to the highest level.