The Crescent Pre School Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy the time they spend with staff and their friends at this nursery. They arrive happily and settle quickly into their play and learning. The manager and staff provide all the children with equality of opportunities in their early education. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from a dedicated support unit within the nursery. Children are well motivated to play, explore and learn. Older children thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to experience snow. Some babies are slightly reluctant to explore the snow, and staff adapt their teaching so that they too can enjoy the experience in a way that is comfortable for them.

Staff support children's independence well. Older babies learn to remove their outdoor clothes and boots. Staff help them to manage mealtime routines for themselves, such as using cutlery. Older children manage their toilet routines independently. They develop a sense of responsibility and help with tidying-up routines. Children have good social skills and enjoy the warm interactions from staff. They show that they are confident and initiate play and conversation with others. Older children enthusiastically play hide and seek together. They count to 10 then search for their friends. Children giggle with delight when their friends find them.

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

• The manager demonstrates good self-evaluation and continually reflects with staff on their practice. She makes effective changes that contribute well to continuous improvement and has a clear vision for the future of the nursery.
• The manager provides staff with good support and training to extend their knowledge and teaching skills. Recent training has helped staff to implement effective interventions to further support children's communication and language development, including listening and attention.
• Partnership working is strong. The manager and special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) work very closely with a wide range of outside professional services to ensure that all children and their families receive the support they need. The manager provides opportunities for parents and other families in the community to benefit from the wide range of services they provide. For example, children with SEND and their families attend a weekly group at the nursery to access support and the nursery facilities.
• There is an effective key-person system in place, and parents appreciate the communication about their child's progress and daily events. Staff regularly update parents about their children's current learning targets. Parents of children with SEND state that the support provided for their children is excellent, and staff keep them fully updated about their children's developmental needs.
• The manager and staff have designed and implemented a progressive curriculum. Overall, staff make good use of their observations of children's achievements and assessment information to plan targets for each child. They have a strong knowledge of child development and identify precisely what children need to learn next to build on what they already know and can do. However, during some planned adult-led activities, staff do not match their teaching expectations as well as possible to children's current stage of development.
• Children behave well and show respect for staff, the learning environment, visitors and each other. Staff provide children with clear guidance about what is expected. However, there are times when staff do not help two-year-old children to fully understand why some rules are in place, such as to keep them safe.
• Staff plan well for children's physical development. Staff working with babies provide good opportunities for non-walking children to build strength in their legs. Babies stand supported by the table and an adult as they engage in activities that interest them, such as mark making and sharing a book. The manager and staff place a strong focus on children gaining the physical skills they need in readiness for writing. Older children build their hand strength as they squash, stretch and pull play dough to music. They concentrate as they push and pull pipe cleaners through a colander.
• Staff support children's health well. They follow good hygiene routines, such as at nappy changing times and mealtimes. Children enjoy the nutritiously balanced meals and snacks. Staff are very attentive to children's needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance planning so that adult-led activities precisely match the stage of development of all the children in the group
• extend the opportunities for two-year-old children to further understand the reasons for rules.