The Learning Hive Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the nursery happy and separate from their parents with ease. Older children smile and younger children move with excitement as they are eagerly welcomed by familiar staff. Children of all ages, including babies, demonstrate how content and assured they are as they confidently approach the inspector and welcome her into their play. Staff are consistent in their approach of providing clear instructions and appropriate boundaries for children. Younger children are reminded of sharing resources and being kind to their friends. Older children listen to and follow simple instructions well. They confidently demonstrate their understanding of using their 'listening ears' and the need to wait patiently for their turn. As a result, children's behaviour is good.

Staff provide stimulating learning activities and experiences that capture children's interests. For example, babies show delight as they feel and create patterns with flour. Other children manipulate dough and display great fascination as they stretch, roll and flatten it into different shapes. Older children concentrate intently as they pick up small resources to create fantastic designs on frames. These opportunities allow children to be creative and help to strengthen their hand and finger muscles in readiness for early writing.

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

• The manager and the senior management team work well together. They accurately evaluate the quality of the provision and have plans in place for further developments. For example, they are shortly introducing a forest school scheme. This will provide children with additional opportunities to explore the natural world and learn lifelong skills.
• Staff have access to a wide range of opportunities to support their professional development and further increase their knowledge. However, managers are yet to evaluate and monitor the impact of what staff have learned and how this has been implemented in practice in order to help to enhance children's learning even further.
• Children's communication and language skills are promoted well. Staff speak to children and provide new words. Children sing songs and rhymes and develop a love for reading. As a result, children are confident communicators.
• The curriculum is well sequenced and ambitious. Staff plan exciting activities based on children's interests and what they want them to learn next. Additional information, with guidance, is available for staff to make further enhancements. This helps them to provide rich and stimulating activities and experiences for children. Children are making good progress.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. Staff have a secure knowledge of children's specific learning requirements. Meetings take place with parents and other professionals. This collective approach supports children's learning and developmental needs accordingly.
• Generally, the key-person system is working well. Staff develop strong and trusting relationships with children. They get to know the children and carry out good care practices that support their emotional needs. This contributes to children feeling safe and secure. However, at times, the exchange of information when a child has a change of key person is less effective. This means that the new key person does not always have an immediate, thorough understanding of their key children's learning and development right from the start.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Relevant information is shared about children's care and development when they first start. Parents state that they are well informed about how children spend their day at nursery. They have regular meetings to discuss children's progress and how they can best support their children's learning at home.
• Children learn the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy well-balanced and nutritious meals and snacks. Children confidently explain the effect that healthy foods have on their body. They independently wash their hands before eating food and after using the toilet. Children know to wipe their nose and place the tissue securely into the bin. This helps to reduce the spread of germs and prepares them well in readiness for school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the evaluation and monitoring of training attended and check that it impacts positively on the quality of staff practice and children's learning throughout the nursery
• review systems for exchanging and using information, in particular when children have a change of key person, so that staff can best support children's learning and development right from the start.