Trench Tots Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy the time they spend in this welcoming nursery. Staff greet them warmly as they arrive. They recognise that every child is an individual, and they take time to get to know each child's interests and stage of development. They successfully use this information to provide a curriculum that is, for the majority of the time, purposeful and specifically planned to ensure that all children make the best progress that they are capable of.

Children are enthusiastic learners. They are highly motivated and quickly become engrossed in the wide range of interesting and exciting activities that staff prepare for them. Staff are skilled in providing children with opportunities to develop their own play. They confidently observe children, and then, through well-timed interactions, they extend children's learning and support them to become curious and intrigued about the activities on offer.

Staff are good role models. They promote British values as they encourage children to use good manners and to be kind to their friends. Children play nicely alongside or with their peers. They share their toys and wait patiently until it is their turn to have a go. Staff recognise the importance of making sure that children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey, including the move on to school.

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

• The nursery benefits from well-qualified, cohesive and knowledgeable leadership. They are highly reflective of the practice and swiftly implement changes that will benefit children and staff. Staff say that they feel well supported, both professionally and personally, and that leaders value them.
• Leaders monitor staff practice. They encourage staff to lead their own professional development. They provide training and support for staff to enable them to enrich their skills. Leaders provide opportunities for staff to share ideas with each other. Consequently, the practice in the nursery continues to evolve.
• Leaders have an exceptionally clear overview of what they want children to learn at each stage of their development. Staff mirror these expectations and implement them in practice. A well-establish key-person system ensures that children receive the support they need. Staff interactions with children are extremely positive. Children relish the time they spend with their key person. They seek staff out for a cuddle if they are tired or upset, or to include them in their play. For example, staff sit patiently while children brush their hair at the role play hairdressers or join in with water and mud play amid much laughter.
• Children's communication and language development is given high priority. Leaders and staff introduce a range of initiatives to help them recognise if there are gaps in children's language development. They work closely with parents and provide workshops and training to share ideas on how parents can continue to support communication at home.
• The nursery is generally well organised. Staff and children are aware of the main routines of the day. However, there are occasions when some routines and activities are not organised well enough. Younger children spend time waiting for lunch to be served, which results in them becoming boisterous. Older children do not have appropriate utensils to feed themselves, and at times, they eat with their hands. In addition, some small group activities are carried out in places where there are distractions. This does not ensure that all aspects of children's learning experiences are always fully enhanced.
• Children learn to be independent in their self-care skills. Older children access the bathroom independently and wash their hands at appropriate times. However, during lunchtime, older children reach into a tin, placed above their heads, to take their dessert. As a result, they touch several desserts before deciding on their own. In addition, children do not have plates and eat dessert off the table, which has not been wiped and still contains food from the main course. This does not consistently promote children's understanding of appropriate hygiene procedures.
• The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is superb. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable and experienced. They attend training courses and work with other professionals and parents to ensure that children with SEND receive the support they need to help them thrive.
• Staff share information daily with parents to keep them informed of their child's care and learning. Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They say that the nursery feels like a family and that they like the ideas that they are given to help them continue with their child's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation of activities and some daily routines to ensure that children are not waiting for prolonged periods and get the very best from their learning
• review lunchtime practices so that children's good hygiene is promoted at all times.