The Old Fire Station Children's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled in this nursery. They form close relationships with staff, who know them well and are gentle and nurturing towards them. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their care. Staff arrange the play environments specifically to enable all children to access the resources and activities. They tailor the support given to each child during play based on their individual learning needs. For example, toddlers use the available equipment to create an obstacle course. They use their problem-solving skills to think about how the shapes may fit together. Staff carefully consider and help children to think about how they can move across their structures safely.

Children are eager to engage in learning activities with staff and their peers. They show positive behaviours and respond well to staff's reminders to use their good manners. Pre-school children know when to say 'please' and 'thank you', which is evident at mealtimes. Staff give timely praise for their positive actions, which helps children to understand the behaviours that are expected of them. The oldest children build friendships with their peers and play cooperatively together when they organise turn-taking during their games. Children generally gain the skills and knowledge they need to prepare them for the next stage of their learning and the eventual move on to school.

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

• The curriculum is designed well. The intended learning for all children is sequenced to continually build on what children know and can do, so that they make the progress they need to prepare them for future learning. Staff gather useful information from parents when children first start to help them know about children's prior learning and what they are ready to learn next.
• Staff plan activities and experiences to help expand children's experiences and opportunities for learning. For example, babies show a deep interest in farm animals, including a well-known song about a farmer. Staff provide a farm scene with toy animal figures and include real-life vegetables, soil and wood shavings. Babies use their senses to feel the different textures as they grasp and explore. Staff name the items, talking as they play for babies to hear and build on their vocabulary and understanding.
• Communication and language are promoted well by staff, who purposefully model their use of language and structure their verbal interactions with children. Staff use regular stories, songs and rhymes to help engage children to use their voices. Staff use additional programmes that help them to provide the targeted support needed for children to quickly catch up. As a result, children make more rapid progress and, through regular practice, become confident speakers.
• Independence is generally promoted. For example, babies and older children freely select the resources that interest them to engage in play. Older children help to tidy away, find their belongings and learn to manage their personal care. However, there is scope to provide further opportunities for children to develop the self-help skills they need to manage cutlery at mealtimes.
• The nursery's play environments are bright, spacious and inviting for children. Staff make adaptations to activities and amend teaching so that all children gain positive learning experiences. For example, 'indoor gardens' are created for children to develop their larger muscles as they climb, balance and practise their coordination while riding wheeled toys and using the equipment that is set out. Staff take children on daily walks in the community and use the opportunity for children to learn about and watch the local builders while they work using large machinery.
• Managers provide staff with the training, guidance and support they need to fulfil their duties and responsibilities, such as for safeguarding and safe sleeping. Staff have regular opportunities for discussion and further training is provided, which is tailored to their needs. This helps to ensure staff knowledge is kept current to contribute towards keeping children safe.
• Parents are happy and speak positively about the nursery and staff. They comment specifically about the progress their children make and how attending the nursery has helped to build their confidence. Parents are happy with the regular information they receive about their child's care and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with opportunities to further develop their self-help skills to manage tasks for themselves.