The New Spring Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff enthusiastically and cheerfully spend time welcoming all children on arrival. Children happily wave goodbye to their parents as they confidently enter the setting. They show that they are happy and content as they play together in small groups. Children spend extended periods of time exploring the broad selection of engaging activities that have been attractively arranged for them. For example, they enjoy using different resources to fill and empty containers. Children also participate in imaginary play with staff. They use the pretend telephones and enjoy spending time playing with the dolls. Staff speak to children about different aspects of their home lives. During imaginary play, they speak to children about their siblings as they play. This supports children to enhance their communication skills and to develop an understanding of similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Children get on well and offer support to each other. For example, they independently help each other to spoon sand into colanders. Staff support children with understanding boundaries. They explain about sharing and turn taking. This supports children to understand what is expected of them. Children behave well. Staff spend time getting to know all children. They identify children's unique starting points. The curriculum is designed to challenge children and enable them all to make progress. Children show confidence. For example, when their names are called during registration, they confidently say 'Here, I am'.

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

• Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills. They carefully model the correct pronunciation of new words. For example, while children practise threading, staff name different animals, such as cow, pig and horse. Children practise saying these words. This helps to extend children's understanding and use of new vocabulary. Staff also ask children questions such as 'Can you tell me what's happening?' as children explore water toys. This successfully develops children's thinking and communication skills.
• Children enjoy spending time pushing objects into play dough. Staff sit with children and offer support and encouragement as they complete tasks. Children use shakers to shake flour on top of the dough. They also spend time using scissors, knives and cutters to manipulate and shape the play dough. This supports them to strengthen their hand muscles in readiness for early writing and mark making.
• Although children do have access to books and stories, which are displayed around the setting, staff do not consistently encourage children to explore books or take part in story sessions. This means that children are not consistently encouraged to foster a greater love for books and stories.
• Children explore colour. They enjoy using the coloured sorting toys. Staff label different colours as children investigate these. They also put coloured discs onto different images. This ensures children have plenty of opportunities to learn about colour.
• Children explore mathematical concepts. Staff speak about 'big' and 'small' and use positional language, such as 'up' and 'down'. This provides opportunities for children to develop their mathematical awareness.
• On occasions, staff complete tasks for children, without giving them enough time to process and respond to instructions. For example, staff ask children to sit down. They then take hold of their hand and guide them to a chair. This does not give children enough time to independently follow, and complete instructions given to them.
• Children have opportunities to develop their physical skills. They spend time throwing balls into the basketball hoop. Staff demonstrate this to children. Children enjoy participating in this activity. They cheer as the ball goes through the hoop. In the garden, children also enjoy throwing coloured balls into different-sized tubs. They stand in hula hoops as they do this. Opportunities such as these support children to develop their physical skills.
• Staff are supported to reflect on their practice and the quality of the setting. Together, they celebrate positive aspects of the setting and also identify areas that they feel could be even better. Staff are regularly observed in their roles and offered suggestions as to things they may do differently. This helps staff to continually enhance their skills.
• Parents speak favourably about the setting. They express how happy they are with the way the setting keeps them updated about their children's progress. Staff offer suggestions and ideas to help parents to contribute and extend their child's learning further at home. This helps to ensure a consistent approach to children's learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently enhance children's early literacy skills so that children develop a greater love of books and stories
• allow children enough time to independently complete tasks and follow instructions that have been given to them.