The Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe, happy and thrive at this welcoming nursery. They are highly confident and independent learners, who acquire the skills to be resilient from a young age. The dedicated staff team work tirelessly to ensure all children get the best possible start.

The highly skilled and qualified staff recognise that children learn at different rates. They offer well planned and focused teaching opportunities to ensure children reach their full learning potential. For instance, during the inspection, children demonstrated strong imaginative and physical skills as they engrossed themselves in drama and ballet classes led by professionals.

Children benefit from a rich-language environment, including high-quality interactions with staff. Children who speak multiple languages receive tailored support from bilingual staff, who engage in meaningful discussions in Italian and French. Children are happy to hear their home language and staff are successful in fostering children's sense of identity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff remained in regular contact with children and their families. For example, staff created personalised home-learning bags for pre-school children, consisting of books, activities and resources, which they hand delivered in the nursery's mini-bus. Despite the nursery closing for two months, children enjoyed engaging in live online activities with staff, such as making play dough.

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

• Leaders and staff get to know all children from the outset through a tailored settling-in programme. They recognise the importance of babies and young children building secure attachments with staff and have embedded a strong key-person system. Each child has a primary and secondary key person to ensure continuity in care, such as during staff absences.
• Leaders have designed an inclusive curriculum. They offer extensive opportunities for children to embed new learning as well as revisit prior knowledge. During the inspection, children extended their interest in a story book about dinosaurs and volcanoes. They skilfully used pipettes to gather vinegar, which they squeezed into a large tray of baking soda, before adding food colouring. They watched with awe as the mixture began to change and bubble. Children used descriptive language, such as 'fizzy' and 'sticky', and staff skilfully questioned them to challenge their thinking.
• Staff ensure children are equipped with the skills they need to start school. For instance, the nursery follows a phonics programme as well as an early reading scheme, which is similar to local schools. Staff initially introduce books without words to encourage children to explore the details and create their own narrative. Staff state that this has helped to build children's comprehension.
• The nursery offers exceptional support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There is a dedicated staff team to coordinate the provision for SEND children. Following a detailed assessment of children's individual needs involving parents and external professionals, staff devise personalised learning plans. Children with SEND receive high-quality intervention and benefit from working in small groups, such as in the dedicated teaching room.
• Children show exemplary behaviour. They are kind and considerate to other children and always respectful towards adults. Staff use a range of techniques to help children manage their feelings. For example, the nursery owner has introduced a highly trained therapy dog who the children adore. Staff have observed that when stroking the dog and spending quality time together, children appear less anxious and this has helped to reduce their stress levels.
• Staff work hard to create strong partnerships between home and nursery. Parents receive regular updates about their children's progress, including through an online learning portal. Parents are highly complimentary about the quality of care their children receive. They comment about the enriching and nurturing experiences available for their children as well as the attention to detail by staff to share information.
• The nursery has a strong leadership team. Staff are very pleased with the ongoing support they receive through regular supervision meetings. Leaders promote a work-life balance and have invested in staff's well-being following the pandemic. For example, they offer free 'mindfulness' sessions as well as access to counselling services. There is also a dedicated well-being officer on site to support staff, if needed. Leaders value the highly skilled workforce and are committed to ensuring that all staff receive tailored opportunities for continued professional development.