The Gatehouse Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. Children transition back into the nursery after the holidays easily. They are happy on arrival and keen to get involved in the activities that staff set out for them. New children settle in well. Staff get to know children well as individuals and help them feel settled and safe in their care.

Children play well with one another in this inclusive nursery. They make friends easily and behave well. Staff manage children's behaviour well and they involve children in setting the golden rules, which helps them understand what is expected of them and how to interact with others positively.

Staff and leaders implement a well-planned curriculum that reflects children's interests and incorporates what they want children to learn next. Children show good enthusiasm and concentrate well during activities. Staff pay attention to the needs of individual children and extend their learning well. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress during their time at the nursery.

Staff support children well to lead healthy lifestyles. For example, children learn about what is good for them to help them make healthy food choices and they benefit from regular time outdoors to exercise and learn in nature.

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

• Leaders are committed to continually improving the care and education they offer to children. They have addressed the weaknesses identified at their previous inspection. Staff have good opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills, and leaders have provided them with a good range of training that has helped them in their role.
• Staff observe and assess children's learning and development effectively. They plan appropriate next steps for children and are quick to identify any gaps in a child's learning, which they take action to target and extend further.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) liaises with external agencies to ensure that support is in place for children with SEND. For example, all children with SEND have individualised plans in place, and staff ensure that children have any additional resources that they need to help them access the curriculum alongside their peers.
• Overall, care practices are good. Children are well supervised by staff who support them well with their personal care needs and ensure that they can rest when they need to. However, many children sleep in pushchairs, which they are strapped into for safety. This does not always ensure that all children are comfortable and free to move around as they sleep.
• Children develop a love of reading, and staff ensure that all children have access to a range of books and storytelling activities. For example, children are given book packs to take home and keep. These packs contain multilingual resources that feature their home language alongside English. This supports their language development and early literacy skills well.
• Staff create stimulating and attractive environments for children. Children move around freely and make choices about what they would like to play with. Staff are skilled at taking opportunities as these arise to play alongside children to extend their learning, and this helps to keep children engaged in play. Young children enjoy sensory play with sand and dough, which develops their creativity and physical skills. Older children enjoy playing imaginatively in the role-play areas.
• Staff use positive behaviour management techniques to help children understand and manage their emotions. Children have access to a variety of spaces to help them relax and feel calm. For example, children spend time in the sensory room, which helps them self-regulate their behaviour and improve their focus.
• Parents speak highly of staff and are positive about their children's time spent at the nursery. Staff use a range of methods to share information with parents about their child's progress and learning. However, they do not ensure that these methods are successful in reaching all parents. This results in some parents not being fully aware of the activities in which their child is participating.
• Leaders self-evaluate effectively. They have a clear understanding of what they do well and accurately identify areas for development. They work effectively with other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of children, particularly those with SEND. They have developed strong links with other early years settings, and these networks help them share good practice with others.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review sleeping arrangements to ensure that these are in line with safe sleeping guidance and ensure that all children are comfortable and free to move as they sleep
• strengthen parent partnerships further to ensure that all parents are well informed and regularly updated on the routines, activities and experiences their children access during their time in nursery.