Thrive Prestwich Village

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident, curious and creative at this welcoming and homely nursery. Staff skilfully link the intent of the curriculum to follow children's interests. For example, they encourage children to go on bug hunts, where children confidently take the lead and explore with magnifying glasses. They squeal with excitement when they find spiders and woodlice. Children show maturity as they confidently handle the insects they find. This helps children learn the importance of the world around them and embeds the culture of care and consideration that runs through the nursery. The nursery places a significant focus on helping children to learn the language of emotion. This helps children feel safe and equipped with the strategies they need to express how they feel. For example, children find a quiet space to calm themselves if feeling frustrated.

The curriculum supports children to confidently develop their physical skills. Staff provide babies with lots of encouragement, care and attention to help them learn to crawl and stand. Pre-school children show their coordination and agility as they navigate obstacle courses and hold a pencil in the correct writing grasp. The curriculum is also designed to help children develop their mathematical skills. For example, babies and toddlers take part in activities to help learn numbers and shapes through songs. Pre-school children are encouraged to apply more challenging mathematical concepts, such as more and less, during counting activities. All children are supported to make good progress.

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

• The nursery has made positive progress since the previous inspection. Improvements have been made to firmly embed the curriculum to ensure that all children are able to learn and achieve. As a result, the nursery is providing children with the best start, both in their earliest education and as they progress on to their eventual journey to school.
• The nursery has ensured that rigorous procedures are in place to regularly and accurately screen all children's communication and language skills. All staff have been trained and supported on how to use this assessment information. The nursery ensures that this knowledge is used to have the best possible impact on children's learning. As a result, children benefit from activities that help them develop eloquent communication and language skills. The nursery ensures that any children with emerging gaps are rapidly identified and support systems are put in place. This supports children's continued good progress.
• Staff manage transitions well. There is a seamless flow in children's learning as they are supported to understand the routines of the day. This helps children remain focused and also to prepare for what is coming next.
• Since the previous inspection, the nursery has ensured that improvements have been made in the event of accidents and injuries to children. For example, when babies bump themselves or toddlers accidently knock their head, trained staff take immediate action to apply appropriate first aid. They also ensure that accident and injury forms are accurately completed in a timely manner, and any possible action to prevent a recurrence is taken. The nursery ensures that its policies and procedures are followed and reviewed so that children's health needs are consistently met.
• The nursery does not always have appropriately targeted staff development in place for all staff, particularly those taking on new roles. The nursery has regular meetings in place to support staff. However, these are not yet fully effective for some staff, who need to develop their knowledge and understanding of how the curriculum is being applied in practice.
• The nursery acts as a true advocate for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It is proactive in making early assessments, engaging positively with parents and external agencies and being able to precisely evidence children's needs. As a result, children and families are supported, and funding is used well to further enhance the provision and meet children's individual needs. Staff are highly knowledgeable and skilled in knowing how best to support the unique needs of all children, meaning all children make good progress from their starting points.
• The nursery helps children learn with real meaning about similarities and differences and what makes their own families unique. Children learn important facts about different countries and the diverse heritage of their friends. They also learn more about their local community as the nursery takes children on trips that they may not otherwise experience, such as to parks and farms. This helps to prepare children well for life in modern Britain.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance supervision arrangements so all staff receive more focused and highly effective professional development, to improve the quality of practice.