The Pickford Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Practitioners are friendly and create a welcoming and safe environment for children. Children are reassured and comforted as they settle with cuddles. Practitioners know the children well and from the start they focus on building strong relationships with them and their families. This helps them to feel safe and secure in their care. Practitioners gather key information from parents and follow home routines to support them to settle in at their own pace.

Leaders have clear intentions for what they want children to learn, with a focus on their communication, independence and school readiness. Practitioners implement the curriculum while using their knowledge of individual children. They consider their learning needs alongside their interests to plan appropriate activities.

Practitioners have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children behave well. Practitioners are good role models. They demonstrate respectful behaviour by asking children before changing nappies and saying 'please' and 'thank you' to each other and to children. Children make friends and develop a great sense of belonging. They are motivated and keen to learn. Children play happily with each other and work together in activities. For example, during a play dough activity, children tell each other what they have made. Some children create their family members and name them to their friends.

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

• Leaders have a clear and ambitious curriculum in place that builds on what children know and can do. Practitioners understand the curriculum intent and this is imbedded well throughout the nursery. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) progress well. Practitioners work with the SEND coordinator to identify children who may need additional support. They work with parents and create and follow individual plans to provide support to help close any gaps in learning and development.
• Practitioners have good knowledge of children's individual needs and interests. They use observations and assessments to plan interesting activities that support children to meet their next steps. Children show a keen interest in learning. They engage in activities and excitedly explore the indoor and outdoor environment. However, at times, practitioners do not recognise opportunities during children's play and use conversations to extend their learning to the highest level.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Practitioners work with parents to gather and learn key words and phrases in their home language and share them with the team. Additionally, they use visual support, such as gestures and flashcards. This helps to support children's communication and understanding.
• Practitioners support children's physical needs effectively. Babies have space and time to move freely. They have resources to support them to strengthen their muscles ready for their next stages in development, such as pulling themselves up or taking steps. Older children climb, run and balance when outdoors and begin to take risks. They strengthen the muscles in their hands through activities, such as play dough and mark making. This helps them to develop skills for writing.
• Practitioners encourage children to be independent from an early age. For instance, they support babies to make their own choices and older babies to wash their own hands. Toddlers begin to recognise their own belongings and access the water station when they are thirsty. Pre-school children dress themselves and serve their own food at lunchtime. All children are encouraged to tidy up after play. This helps children to develop the skills needed for later life.
• Practitioners support children to develop their language skills. They read books and sing songs and rhymes with children. They provide a commentary on children's play and repeat back what children say. Children speak to practitioners about what they are doing and ask questions to extend their knowledge. However, on occasion, practitioners repeat their questions before children have time to think and respond. In addition, they ask simple closed questions which do not encourage children to extend their sentences.
• Leaders and practitioners establish good partnerships with parents. They share information daily, including face-to-face and online. Parents are invited to the nursery to join their children for special events and celebrations. Parents speak positively about the team and say their children are happy and developing well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support practitioners to recognise opportunities to further extend children's learning during play and conversations.
• encourage practitioners to use more effective questions and give children more time to think and respond, to support their thinking and language skills.