The house that Jack built nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend the nursery. They develop relationships with their peers and staff. For example, children play cooperatively together in the role-play areas and enthusiastically build a track for their pretend vehicles. Older children use tools, such as scissors. They are taught how to open and close the scissors, demonstrating perseverance as they cut paper. Older children develop their coordination skills as they learn to throw and catch balls. They enjoy climbing on the climbing equipment.

Babies demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They are developing the confidence to explore their surroundings. Babies enjoy handling shiny objects. They bang objects together to hear their sound and are introduced to words, such as 'bang', as they do this. Babies are encouraged to stand and hold onto the 'standing beam', which supports their developing physical skills. Staff spend time sharing storybooks with younger children. Children listen and show an interest in the illustrations. For example, younger children identify the colours of the characters and are supported by the staff to learn about the different emotions they portray. Children copy making happy and sad faces.

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

• The managers demonstrate an enthusiastic approach to their roles and responsibilities. They value their staff and take steps to support their well-being. Staff benefit from regular supervisions and talk positively about how professional development opportunities have had an impact on their practice. For example, some staff have competed autism spectrum disorder awareness training. This has supported them to reflect on the environment and resources they provide to support autistic children.
• Management and staff structure the curriculum to cover all areas of learning as the children transition through the nursery. They plan a range of learning opportunities based on children's interests and individual targets. However, on occasions staff do not always use spontaneous opportunities to further extend the children's thinking and engage them in conversations as they play. Furthermore, new, and less-experienced staff do not yet have the teaching skills to effectively implement the planned curriculum, including their interactions with the children.
• Children have access to a wide range of good quality resources to support their play. They settle quickly and demonstrate that they feel happy. Children are greeted warmly by staff and form positive relationships with them. This helps children to develop attachments and supports their emotional well-being.
• Overall, children behave well. Staff support the children to share and show kindness to their friends. Older children talk about the importance of using their
• 'looking eyes, listening ears, quiet mouths' and 'kind hands'.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are suitably supported. Staff understand children's needs. They work well with other professionals and involve parents in discussions about their child. This support ensures all children are included and make good progress.
• Staff have a good understanding of the children's dietary requirements, preferences, and food allergies. This ensures children's individual needs are met. Children enjoy meal and snack times. From a young age, children are encouraged to develop their independence and self-care skills. They learn to pour their own drink and to use appropriately sized cutlery. Staff closely supervise children as they eat.
• Children have regular opportunities to explore the local community. They access play apparatus at the park, participate in nature walks and purchase produce from the greengrocers. Staff support children's safety appropriately during each outing. They ensure children wear high-visibility tabards and that younger children are safely strapped in their buggies or on toddler reins. Additionally, routes are risk assessed to minimise potential risks of harm to the children.
• Parents speak positively about the nursery and staff. They say their children settle well and make good progress in their learning and development. Parents are invited to spend time in the nursery. For example, during Father's Day celebrations, dads were invited to share activities with their children. Additionally, children are able to take home books from the lending library to share with their parents.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use every opportunity to extend children's learning during spontaneous and planned activities
• strengthen training and coaching opportunities to support new and less-experienced staff to improve their knowledge of the curriculum, including their interactions with the children.