The Octagon Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive at the nursery. They are welcomed by caring staff who make them feel safe and secure. Children quickly settle into the routine of the day. They know and understand what is expected of them and, as a result, their behaviour is very good. Children demonstrate good manners. Staff gently remind them when they forget.

Children's communication and language development is given extremely high priority. Staff build on the words that children already know, by checking that they understand the meaning of a word. For example, when reading a story, children recall and demonstrate how to use a telescope. Staff consistently model good language. As a result, children are making good progress in their speaking and listening, including those who speak English as an additional language.

Children of many different nationalities are building friendships. They are gaining an understanding of what makes them unique. For example, children create pictures of themselves using cut-up photographs. They choose hair colour, skin colour, eyes and a mouth. Children describe what they like and dislike.They are learning about different cultures in the world and within their nursery through activities, food and dressing up.

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

• There is a clear curriculum to support children's learning and development, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff understand the needs of individual children extremely well. This enables them to adapt and introduce new activities to ensure all children are suitably challenged. For example, when children are making birthday cakes with dough, they take turns singing and blowing out the battery-operated candle. Children gain an understanding of using technology as they capture the moment on camera.
• Staff provide a range of opportunities for children to be active and develop their physical skills. For example, children learn to balance on the see-saw, wooden beams and bikes. They show good physical control as they dig and sieve in the large sand pit. Staff talk to children about keeping safe outdoors. However, staff do not always consider the learning in daily routines. For example, they pour and serve snack when children have the capability to do this for themselves.
• Staff use every opportunity to support children's communication and language development. For example, children use picture menus to select their snacks, recalling and repeating the words of the food and drink. Visual and tactile timetables are in use in every room. This supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with SEND to understand what happens next in the day.
• Children learn about oral health from an early age. Each child has their own toothbrush. Children confidently brush their teeth to the toothbrush song. They are learning to be healthy. Children wash their hands before eating. They are served nutritious and healthy meals, cooked on the premises by the nursery cook. Staff are aware of allergies and dietary requirements, and ensure these are adhered to.
• The nursery special educational needs coordinator is experienced in her role. She is knowledgeable about the children who require additional support. She works closely with each child's key person and family. This ensures children receive timely interventions and targeted support to meet their development needs. Additional funding allocated to children is used to support interventions and reduce any gaps in their learning and development.
• The relatively new managers collectively lead a staff team that is enthusiastic in providing good learning opportunities and experiences for children. Staff can access a variety of training opportunities to ensure that they have up-to-date knowledge and skills. Staff comment that managers are good role models and mentors.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents receive a variety of information to help their child settle into the nursery, including photographs of the staff team. They are kept up to date with regular newsletters. However, the setting could explore more effective ways to communicate with parents who speak English as an additional language.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff consider the learning that can take place in daily routines, such as snack time
• implement more effective ways to share information with parents, particularly those who speak English as an additional language.