The Nursery of Narnia and out of school club (Moredon)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This inclusive nursery welcomes children with open arms. Children enter happily and are eager to see their peers. Staff work hard to build strong, nurturing relationships with the children and families in their care. They provide the children with lots of cuddles and reassurance. Children show they feel safe and secure. They freely explore the stimulating environment and quickly immerse themselves in their chosen play.

Leaders and staff have created a curriculum that focuses on children developing their independence and overall confidence. Staff inspire the children to do things for themselves. For example, children help set the table at mealtimes. They pour their drinks and place their rubbish in the bin when they have finished. Three-year-olds peel their bananas and oranges, which strengthens their finger muscles. If children find it difficult, staff encourage them to keep going. This promotes a 'can-do' attitude and a willingness to give things a go.

Staff intently listen to the children's thoughts and ideas. Children explore the play dough. They use their creativity and imagination as they mould and shape the dough using their hands. Children call out to the staff and proudly show off what they have made. Staff show an interest and ask questions about what they have created. They continuously praise the children for their efforts, which builds their confidence and develops high self-esteem.

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

• Children enjoy participating in physical play. They happily race around in plastic cars, saying, 'Ready, steady, go!' Babies and young children pull themselves up on the climbing equipment. They take turns going down the slide. This strengthens their core muscles. Staff plan weekly 'physical education' lessons, where children follow instructions and play group games. They teach children to dress and undress themselves to prepare them for life at school. Staff encourage the children to get on stage and perform in front of their peers. This builds their confidence and develops a sense of self.
• The staff know the children in their care well. They monitor their progress and quickly identify any gaps in children's learning. Staff plan activities based on termly themes and children's next stages of learning. They engage with the children at key moments to extend their knowledge beyond what they already know. Leaders use early years pupil premium funding to provide better outcomes for vulnerable children and to provide any additional resources they need. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children love listening to familiar stories and nursery rhymes. They join in with key phrases and actions. Staff encourage the children to talk about the characters in the stories and to recall the main events. They introduce new words and their meanings to extend children's vocabulary. However, staff do not consistently help children hear or learn to use the correct pronunciation of words, to develop children's speech and communication as much as possible.
• Leaders and staff are passionate about meeting the needs of the most vulnerable families, both in their care and in the local community. They work closely with local businesses and shops to provide food and resources to those who need it. Parents receive detailed feedback from staff on their child's learning and development. They value the support of the dedicated staff, who provide them with a wide range of advice and support. This creates a feeling of community and trust.
• Overall, children behave well. Staff reinforce the rules and boundaries of the setting. They praise the children for being kind and helpful. Staff are good role models. They encourage the children to use their manners and to wait their turn. However, staff do not always use consistent approaches to manage behaviour. For instance, when small conflicts arise, not all staff use emotional language to support children in understanding how their actions impact others. This means children do not develop an understanding of how to manage their behaviour effectively.
• Staff are dedicated to their role and to improving the provision. They attend regular supervision meetings, where they gain feedback on their practice. Staff have access to a wide range of training online and feel leaders support them to achieve their personal goals. Leaders provide all staff with access to impartial advice and support. Staff can gain help with their finances or their overall health and well-being. Staff work well as a team and reflect on the provision to make any changes needed. For example, staff have created a babies and toddler space to aid with the rise of children in these age brackets. This means staff feel appreciated, which develops a positive work environment.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff's interactions always help children hear clear pronunciations of words and enhance children's vocabulary and language development further
• support staff to apply consistent approaches for managing behaviour to ensure all children understand the impact their behaviours have on others.