The Potters Bar Day Nursery and Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery. Their emotional needs are well supported by staff who are attentive and caring. Children quickly become engaged in their chosen activities. Younger children get pleasure from filling containers with water and pouring it over the plants. Older children gain an understanding of the world through activities that capture their interest. For example, they show great intrigue as they move toy sharks and orcas through shaving foam. When children ask, 'Why do lots of orcas live together?', staff help them to use factual books to research the information. For instance, children learn that orcas live together to help keep them safe. This helps children to develop a wide knowledge base and to make deep connections within their learning.

Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They monitor children's progress well and identify when some children need extra support. Children behave well. They follow the rules and learn to treat others with respect. Those who need extra support learn techniques to help them regulate their own behaviour. This helps children to develop skills that will prepare them for their future learning.

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

• Managers and staff have created an ambitious curriculum based on what children already know and can do. Overall, staff plan carefully for children's development. They use the information gathered from parents and their observations to help them plan activities. Occasionally, staff are not clear enough about what they expect children to learn and overcomplicate the activity. For example, sometimes staff introduce too many concepts and too much information, and children lose interest.
• Staff promote children's early communication skills well. They monitor the progress of children's speech closely. They model language and introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary. For example, staff introduce babies to many sensory experiences, indoors and outside, such as flour, mud and sand. Staff make and use sounds that babies have heard before. Older children love to listen to stories and do familiar actions. Children laugh at staff and respond with the correct answer when staff deliberately mix up the title of the book. Staff work closely with other professionals to provide well-targeted support to help children with SEND to develop their communication skills.
• Staff support children to have an awareness of the diverse world in which they live. Older children draw self-portraits using mirrors to look at their facial features. Children talk about the similarities and differences between them.
• All children enjoy regular access to the outside area. They have fun exploring a range of activities and practising their physical skills. For instance, toddlers show good coordination and balance as they navigate the balancing beam. Older children use their imaginations to make up games to play with their friends, and they run and hide.
• Support for children with SEND is a strength of the nursery. Staff swiftly identify children who need additional support and work with other professionals. They have good knowledge of strategies to support children. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that these strategies are consistently used to support children's progress. This contributes to the strong progress children with SEND make.
• Managers and staff use additional funding to support and encourage children's individual learning. For instance, they purchased a spinning chair to help children strengthen their core muscles as they grip and spin.
• Children are very independent. They pour drinks of water and look in the mirror to wipe their noses. Staff work closely with parents to support children to become toilet trained.
• Staff feel valued and well supported by managers, who have a clear vision for the setting. Managers and staff work very well as a team. They meet regularly to discuss professional development.
• Parents are very happy with the support they receive. They say their children are very happy here, and they have strong relationships with staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to ensure they are clear about what they want children to learn and do not overcomplicate activities.