The Old Schoolhouse Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are keen, active and excited learners. They enter the nursery confidently and part from their parents and carers with ease. Staff in each room greet children in a welcoming manner. They spend time speaking to parents about any relevant information from home. Key persons use this information to ensure that every child's needs are met to a high standard. Children's care and learning is tailored to their individual needs, likes and dislikes. Children are confident and settled. They have good relationships with staff and each other, forming small friendship groups and assisting each other.

Children are enthusiastic about learning. They are provided with a broad curriculum that focuses on developing children's pride in their abilities. Staff plan activities that help children learn about respect, independence and emotional security. They are encouraged to be creative communicators from a young age. All staff are involved in developing and adapting the curriculum so that they are invested in the teaching approaches and practice is embedded effectively. Babies receive warm, gentle care form the adults caring for them. They are provided with effective opportunities to develop physical skills as they manoeuvre around the furniture and equipment specifically placed to encourage early standing and walking.

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

• The nursery is led and managed by competent members of the management team within the nursery. The team, in turn, is fully supported by the larger company. Staff speak enthusiastically about the support they receive and the training opportunities provided for them. Training is focused on providing staff with the skills they need. For example, those working with the younger children complete training around the needs of children aged under two years.
• Parents speak very highly of the managers, staff and general care of their children. They comment that they are happy to recommend the nursery to their friends and family. Some parents say that they like the fact that they are very involved in their children's nursery day. They receive effective information from staff about every aspect of their child's nursery experience.
• Staff promote children's speech and language development effectively through the use of songs, rhymes, stories and general discussions. They introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to recall experiences during discussions. Some staff, however, ask questions in very quick succession or do not allow children time to consider their responses.
• Children are provided with good opportunities to guide their own play and learning. Their voices are heard within the nursery. For example, pre-school children vote on the next activity by attaching pegs to the board, depicting their preference. Staff use clear language to explain this process and remind children that they may also have time for the less favourable activity afterwards.
• Children are polite and speak to each other in a kind and caring manner. They cooperate, helping to carry the baskets of toys back to their shelf at tidy up time. Staff use positive language to praise them for doing such a good job and working well together. Children use good manners during mealtimes, saying please and thank you when offered drinks.
• Children enjoy a range of healthy and well-balanced meals freshly prepared on site. They sit together with their friends and staff and engage in gentle discussions. They enthusiastically tell staff about activities they have done at the weekend, providing a clear dialogue. They speak about going to see relatives and the journeys they took to do this. Staff listen attentively and engage in purposeful discussions with them.
• Children are provided with some opportunities to extend their knowledge outside of the general curriculum, for example, when visitors come into the nursery to share their expertise or specialism. However, staff have not considered how to extend these experiences further beyond the nursery premises.
• Children are provided with good opportunities to use their observations to explore their own identity. They discuss their eye colours, facial features and skin tones through self-portrait activities. Staff encourage them to talk about their similarities and differences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• guide staff to develop the use of effective questioning techniques to consistently enhance children's thinking skills that support their learning further
• consider ways to extend children's experiences beyond the nursery to further enhance their learning.