Treetops Teddington

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy at nursery and eager to start their day. They easily separate from parents to greet familiar staff and friends. During free play, children select what they would like to do. Staff follow children's lead, for example, by reading a favourite story or by giving support or guidance during a small-group activity.

Children confidently approach new adults, and pre-school children ask what they are doing in their nursery. Some watch fascinated as letters and words are typed. Others make requests to have their name or what they are saying put into written form. Experiences are linked by children explaining that their parent write lists for shopping or use a computer for work. Babies and younger children approach staff for comfort and reassurance. Staff cuddle them and urge them to try things for themselves. For example, staff sing to encourage new walkers to build their confidence by taking more steps. Staff and children clap and smile in response to their success.

Older children follow hygiene routines by lining up to wash their hands in preparation for snacks and meals. In groups, children take turns to speak by putting up their hand or waiting for their friends to finish before they start to share their thoughts and ideas. Children's behaviour is good.

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

• Children who are settling into the provision are effectively supported. Parents complete forms and share care information during settling-in visits. Practice to support individual needs is well established. Room leaders act as link workers until key workers are allocated, which is decided by who each child and their family naturally bond with. Leaders use this system to strengthen the developing relationship between parents and setting.
• Children make good progress from their starting points. Babies learn to socialise with others. Children learn to listen attentively and respond carefully to instructions. Older children can count objects, say number names in order, and recognise numerals. They know some letters and sounds and are learning to write their names. Children receive praise from staff, which helps them to develop their self-esteem. Older children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Staff support children's communication skills well. For example, they read books and introduce simple words using repetition to ensure that young children remember them. Older children eagerly take part in story times and enjoy using puppets. Children who speak English as an additional language regularly hear their home language. Staff ask for and use key words and phrases. Staff who share home languages with children record simple messages that are used to support play and learning across the setting. However, on occasions, some staff ask questions to test knowledge rather than extend dialogue.
• Staff and leaders have high expectations for every child and work closely together to meet the individual needs of children. Ongoing assessment ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early. Parental consent enables prompt referrals to be made to external professionals for additional support. The setting has strategies to use until they can partnership work with parents and outside professionals. Therapeutic programmes are incorporated into children's daily care plans to ensure that they have the support needed to make the best possible progress.
• Parents universally say that their children settle quickly and make progress, and praise staff for their care and kindness. An online application, daily handovers, and regular parents' evenings ensure that parents feel fully included. Social activities, such as a summer fete, promote a sense of community. Families respond by using the setting for all the children in their family.
• Following the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders and managers have been very creative to ensure that recruitment campaigns have positive results. Robust screening ensures the suitability of new staff. Established practitioners are offered further professional training, and recognition of their service and personal well-being, to maintain staff's high morale. However, the deployment of staff is not always sequenced and well thought out to ensure that care is consistent throughout the day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop arrangements for staff deployment to minimise disruption to children's care and play
• improve staff teaching to include the use of questions to support children's thinking and develop back-and-forth conversations.