The Garden House Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff work hard to keep children safe and happy. They supervise children well and give them spontaneous cuddles throughout the day. This promotes children's confidence and self-esteem. Staff encourage children to share their feelings and emotions. Staff use age-appropriate toys and books to help children to manage their behaviour positively. Staff give children early notice when there is a change in routine. They are good at using age-appropriate language to explain to children what happens next. Children respond positively to this and they behave well.

Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They follow a curriculum that helps to prepare children for their future education, such as developing their language skills. This has had a positive impact on children, including children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff encourage children to carry out manageable tasks for themselves at the earliest possible opportunity. This motivates children to do things such as put on their coats and shoes for outdoor play. Older children help staff to set the tables for mealtimes and tidy up when they finish playing. Children's independence skills are developing well.

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

• The management team is dedicated to evaluating the quality of education and care provided. Since the last inspection, they have implemented several improvements, especially in the outdoor area. This has led to an increase in children's engagement in meaningful activities, such as balancing, painting, and imaginative play.
• Staff report that they receive continuous support and professional development opportunities to develop their teaching skills. For example, staff in the baby room have received training to ensure that children are monitored carefully during sleep time for their comfort and safety.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff use a range of methods to engage parents in their children's education. They share a wealth of information with parents, such as information about potty training and procedures for administering medication. Parents confirm that they are well informed about their children's learning and are very pleased with the support they receive, particularly those parents whose children have speech and language difficulties. This contributes to children making good progress from their starting points.
• Staff work with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to promote consistency in children's learning. In addition, they contact teachers to help prepare older children well for their move to school.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to develop their communication and language skills. They sing songs and read stories to the children. Staff in pre-school use words such as 'juicy', 'mixing' and 'squeeze' during a sensory activity to develop and extend children's vocabulary.
• Children's behaviour is good. They learn to use gentle hands and to be kind to others, which contributes to their positive attitude towards learning.
• Staff observe and assess children's learning regularly. They use the gathered information to provide children with an ambitious and challenging curriculum that equips them with necessary skills for their future education. Occasionally, staff do not plan and deliver group activities as effectively as possible. For example, during separate group activities, staff do not ensure that all toddlers and pre-school children are engaged. This means that some children do not get the full benefit of the learning experiences.
• Staff adhere to the nursery's procedures to help protect children's health and well-being. They do this in various ways, such as checking the play areas for safety and responding to children's accidents that may occur during play. In addition, staff teach children good handwashing routines to support their physical health effectively and develop healthy lifestyles.
• Staff develop children's mathematical skills as part of their curriculum. They make effective use of opportunities to incorporate numbers. For example, when they find a spider in the garden, they count its legs with the children. In another example, staff ask children to count the number of plates while setting up for lunch. These practices support children's knowledge of numbers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan and implement group times that engage and fully support children's learning.