Tiddly Winks Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are valued and celebrated as individuals. Staff recognise children's talents, building these into the curriculum superbly. Children who excel at dancing regularly delight in dressing up and performing for others. Staff nurture children's imaginations and celebrate their creations of 'alien apple' pictures as they display them for all to see. Children have exceptionally high levels of confidence. As nursery committee members, they share their opinions on what they would like to experience each day.

Children benefit from exemplary teaching that develops their vocabulary rapidly. Younger children explore well-known stories together. Staff gain their attention superbly, inviting them to select and name hidden toy animals, which later appear in the story. Children listen with excellent levels of attention for their age as staff read animatedly, simultaneously accompanying words with sign language. Children excitedly use new vocabulary, saying, 'A long neck' and 'A snake', which staff repeat in simple sentences to extend their language further.

Staff help children to feel safe. Young children hold up their arms and benefit from swift attention from their key person to comfort them when they feel tired. Staff expertly weave children's home languages into their interactions with toddlers, which brings through a familiarity from home to help children feel secure.

Children react impressively to the high expectations of staff. For example, they respond to singing to indicate transition times. Younger children listen and respond to gentle guidance and explanation of why they need to sit in a group. Older children demonstrate equally excellent attitudes, taking the initiative to select their own snacks and then tidy away afterwards.

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

• Leaders are inspirational. They precisely evaluate practice and are determined to provide the best possible experiences for children. This is demonstrated by their review of routines. For example, through evaluation, leaders recognised that by following daily routines, children's learning was being repeatedly interrupted for whole-group times, such as for directed teaching and mealtimes. They reviewed this with staff, and children now play with limited interruption, transitioning to outdoor play and enjoying sociable lunchtimes in small groups with their key person. This contributes to their excellent levels of engagement and attitudes to learning.
• Leaders ensure there is a clearly sequenced curriculum. All staff implement this consistently in each age range. Staff promote the ultimate aim of children being able to express themselves confidently in back-and-forth interactions with others. They successfully integrate sign language alongside the spoken word in all communication. This is highly effective in supporting all children's speech and understanding. For example, children move from babbling, to using single words with signs, to holding lengthy conversations with others about what might happen in their experiments.
• Staff demonstrate an exceptional understanding of how to support children's behaviour. They are particularly effective at helping children to learn to manage their feelings and emotions. For instance, staff organise the environment to provide spaces that children can independently access if they are encountering difficulties. Staff draw on a range of resources, such as books and sensory toys, to support children to process their emotions at these times. This is particularly successful at supporting older children affected by having limited social interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown periods.
• Leaders address gaps in children's learning at the earliest opportunity. For instance, following COVID-19, staff reported that children's pronunciation of words was below the expected level. Leaders promptly arranged training to help staff deliver targeted interventions and provide parents with ways to support this at home. This was highly effective at helping children to make accelerated progress.
• Leaders have incredibly high aspirations for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They identify their needs swiftly, involving professionals such as paediatricians and local authority specialists. Staff follow their advice immediately, implementing it in each room for consistency. For instance, staff complete specialist training and go on to use strategies, such as visual supports, exceptionally well to help children understand instructions. Children with SEND are fully included and make the best possible progress.
• Children develop an excellent understanding of themselves and respect for others through exciting first-hand experiences. Staff use the information they gather about children as a starting point for meaningful learning. For example, some children learn about the Irish heritage of their peers as they read stories about St Patrick. Other children learn from nursery families how they celebrate Diwali. They look at photographs, dress in traditional clothing and follow home routines, such as cleaning before they make and taste traditional sweets. Staff are mindful to replicate learning to reflect children's experiences accurately. For instance, children make colourful rice patterns on the ground to welcome good luck into their room.