Treasures Neighbourhood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery. They arrive eager to start their day and happily leave their parents at the door. Children are developing a love of books, which staff place thoughtfully throughout the nursery. Babies sit with their chosen board books. They readily babble away to themselves as they focus on each picture, taking care as they turn the pages. Toddlers sit and listen to a story about a caterpillar. Staff ask children questions to prompt their thinking, and toddlers eagerly share their knowledge. Toddlers are encouraged to recall from previous learning that caterpillars make cocoons and will turn into butterflies. This helps children to develop confidence in their conversational skills.

Children enjoy outdoor play. Staff ensure that there is a variety of equipment on offer to suit all children's different levels of ability. Pre-school children work with staff to create a balance beam from a plank and two crates. Children take turns walking across the plank while staff offer a helping hand to those who are less confident. Toddlers demonstrate agility as they climb on small climbing apparatus, while others work with their friends to roll balls down the slope. Staff have provided additional challenges to encourage babies to develop their physical skills. Babies eagerly crawl through tunnels and over small obstacles. This helps children to develop their muscle strength and coordination skills.

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

• The provider has taken a proactive approach in response to the last inspection. They have informed Ofsted of all organisational changes, and the trustees have now undergone the necessary checks. This means that the provider has met their legal responsibility set out in the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage' to notify Ofsted of information regarding associations.
• Staff have a good understanding of children's development and are aware of children's strengths and how to support their progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support to meet their needs. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that early help is in place for those who require additional support. For example, staff work with schools to share strategies designed for individual children to ensure that their transition is a positive experience.
• Children are learning to do things for themselves. Babies feed themselves at lunchtime, toddlers clear away the leftover food from their plates, and pre-school children tidy away resources. This helps children's growing independence skills.
• Although staff have a clear vision for the activities they provide, they do not consistently implement this vision. For instance, staff plan and prepare a junk modelling activity to support children's understanding of the natural world and the importance of caring for the environment. While children enjoy using scissors to cut holes in cardboard boxes, staff do not encourage children to learn about the environment or talk about the natural world.
• Staff are good role models and encourage children to share, take turns and use good manners. For example, babies freely sign 'please' and 'thank you' to staff. Toddlers listen well during adult-led activities, and pre-school children readily invite others to join their games.
• Staff provide opportunities to develop children's small-muscle skills. They provide activities to help them practise the skills they will need for early writing. Babies carefully place small wooden bricks and balls into tubs. They shake the tubs vigorously, smiling as the items jump out. Toddlers create play dough faces. Staff encourage them to use mirrors to copy their facial features. Children carefully stick eyes, ears and lips onto their play dough faces. Staff talk about different eye colours and help children to compare the length of each other's hair. This helps children to develop an awareness of what makes people unique.
• Staff generally engage with children during their play to build on what they want children to learn next and to develop their interests further. However, on occasions, staff focus on carrying out routine tasks, which leaves some children with less support to extend their play and learning.
• Staff help even the youngest children to learn how to be safe. Older babies are taught how to safely go down stairs. Staff support them to shuffle down on their bottoms and hold onto handrails. Pre-school children know that they need to stay safe in the sun. Children independently access sun hats before they go out to play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to strengthen the delivery of planned activities to include all identified learning intentions for children
• review the deployment of staff to ensure that they provide consistent and purposeful interactions for children which build on their existing skills and knowledge.