Toad Hall Nursery Ottershaw

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by staff on their arrival. Staff support all children to settle in the nursery. They are aware of children who need reassurance and ensure that they are supported effectively. Children are confident to approach staff for reassurance and a cuddle when needed. Children enthusiastically play alongside staff, who extend their learning. The well-thought-out and exciting environment provides children opportunities to practise a range of skills. Babies show they are competent movers as they walk around the garden, negotiating people and objects in their way. Older children play cooperatively as they practise playing imaginatively in a home, caring for baby dolls and talking to each other on their pretend phones.

Children enjoy calming interactions with staff, who support their emotions well. For instance, children take part in a 'mindfulness group', where they focus on their breathing, attention and listening skills. This helps children to regulate how they are feeling.

Leaders have a clear focus on what they want children to learn. They focus the curriculum on developing children's independence, social skills and confidence. Children are articulate and are starting to use their memory and recall skills. For example, they confidently recall using 'cocoa powder' when talking about making chocolate brownies.

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

• Staff use observations and assessments to identify gaps in children's learning. Children's additional needs are identified early, and staff provide swift and targeted support. For example, additional funding has been used to purchase equipment and resources to support children's specific needs. Staff ensure that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points.
• Generally, children's communication and language development is supported well. Staff ask questions and maintain ongoing dialogue with children. For example, staff discuss with children what items can be used to see in the dark, such as torches and candles. Staff working with babies repeat key words, such as 'aeroplane', to build their vocabulary. However, staff do not consistently encourage older children to think more deeply or fully support them to develop their own thoughts during play.
• Children learn good hygiene practices, such as wiping their noses and washing their hands before and after meals. During mealtimes, staff encourage children to serve their own food and pour their own drinks. This helps children to develop the independence skills they will need when they move on to school.
• Children behave well. Staff encourage sharing and taking turns to model respect and politeness to their peers. Pre-school children are encouraged to think about their actions. For example, they are reminded how to keep themselves safe when using scissors. However, staff are not fully organised to make sure children are not left waiting too long between routines such as lunchtime. Although staff provide children with books to look at in the meantime, some children get bored of waiting and become disengaged.
• Parents are very complimentary of the nursery and the staff. They talk about the kind and caring manager and staff. Overall, they appreciate the detailed feedback and regular updates from the key person about their child's progress.
• The provider has faced significant challenges relating to staffing issues. Despite this, all children have a named key person, and staffing arrangements are managed effectively. For example, they use regular agency staff to ensure consistency for children. Their rigorous induction process helps to support staff to understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Staff well-being is a priority for the leadership team. Staff comment that they enjoy working at the nursery due to its 'family feel'. They praise the manager for her support and state that they feel valued and appreciated. This helps to promote staff morale, and teamwork is effective.
• Staff have access to a wide range of in-house and online training resources to support their continual professional development. For example, the manager supports staff by offering training specific to SEND, to help them in their role to support children with additional needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to build on older children's ability to think more deeply
• organise daily routines more effectively so that children are not left waiting too long.