Tops Muscliff

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Managers and staff create a calm, welcoming environment where children feel safe and secure. The nursery offers inclusive care and education that is carefully organised to meet the individual needs of the children and families who attend. Children new to the nursery settle quickly, supported by nurturing and caring staff. Staff take time to get to know each child's starting points to help ensure they make good progress from the outset.

Children behave well. Staff are excellent role models, and children reflect staff's positive and respectful interactions in their own conversations with others. For example, children say sorry when they accidentally knock into a visiting adult and comment kindly about the attributes of others. This builds children's social skills and promotes self-esteem. Children develop a sense of belonging as they take responsibility for small tasks, such as tidying up.

Children learn about the world around them through trips into the community. They build confidence communicating with different generations at care homes and develop their physical skills during forest school visits. Older children confidently share their thoughts and ideas with staff, who listen carefully and engage in high-quality conversations with them, extending their language by adding new vocabulary. Staff working with younger children repeat children's language when it is unclear to support their pronunciation.

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

• Managers organise an ambitious curriculum that focuses on developing children's social, emotional, physical and communication skills. Learning is carefully planned and sequenced to build on what children already know and can do. Staff use assessment well to identify if a child might be at risk of falling behind in their development and take action to help close any gaps. For example, they make referrals to external agencies when required.
• Children learn to respect the world around them and develop a growing understanding of how to protect the environment. Children learn to recycle and to separate food waste from other refuse. They grow their own vegetables and herbs, and these are available for parents and local residents to take home. Pre-loved clothes and a book swap are also freely available for parents and children to access.
• Children develop their independence in preparation for school. For example, they serve their own food at mealtimes and attend to their own toileting. Staff encourage children to try to do things for themselves to develop their resilience. When children ask for help, staff initially offer tips and support to encourage children to keep trying, before intervening if needed.
• Children develop their physical skills, inside and outside. Older children create a path using balance boards and stepping stones, developing their core muscles as they carefully make their way along them. Younger children squeeze play dough with their hands and use tools to cut it, developing their hand-to-eye coordination.
• Children develop a love of books that nurtures their literacy and language skills. They enjoy listening to stories that staff read with enthusiasm. Younger children sit in the book area and pay close attention as they turn the pages one by one and retell stories to themselves using the pictures to guide them.
• Staff teach children how to stay fit and healthy. For example, children learn how to keep their teeth clean. Children receive healthy nutritious meals, and staff skilfully encourage them to try new foods. For example, when children are reluctant, staff tell children that they have not tried this food before either, so maybe they could do it together. This gentle approach is effective and nurturing.
• Staff working with older children nurture children's language development well. For example, they talk to children at mealtimes about where the food comes from, naming and describing new foods. However, younger children do not always receive the same high-quality interactions from staff to extend their vocabulary and communication skills further.
• Older children share and take turns well. When minor conflict between children occurs, staff manage this well. Staff model how to solve problems and how to compromise with others to help children learn to manage behaviour for themselves. Staff are attentive, intervening appropriately and swiftly to support children who may need help to regulate their emotions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to ensure that younger children receive the targeted support that they need to develop their communication and language skills further.